Gemotions

“Well, this is odd,” Michael mumbled. He had been looking forward to settling in with a new book, a biography about a famous explorer, "Into the Unknown". Inside, a small, silver key had been tucked between the pages.

He held it up to the light, turning it over and over. It was small, ornate, and clearly quite old. There was no tag or marking. No clue as to what it unlocked. He checked the book again, hoping for some explanation. Nothing. Just the words and illustrations of a long-dead explorer.

He felt a sudden surge of indecision. He wanted to know what the key unlocked. But what if it was better left a mystery? He glanced at the window, the evening light beginning to fade. A strange feeling consumed him: the tug of curiosity, mixed with the unsettling knowledge that he was about to step into something he did not understand.