Gemotions

John stared at the letter. The looping script was undeniably his, though he barely recognized the ardent young man who’d penned it. He ran a hand through his thinning hair. A strange feeling settled in his stomach, a knot of confusion and… something else. Regret, maybe?

He read the words again, a love letter to a woman who had become a ghost in his memory. The ache in his heart was a physical presence. The room swam, a haze around the meticulously organized bookshelves. He remembered the arguments, the hurt, the slow, agonizing fade of their relationship.

He paced the room, a frantic energy building within him. He remembered the raw, visceral emotions, the hope, the fear, the boundless potential he felt then. He couldn't understand why he'd chosen silence then. The unopened letter was a tangible reminder of a life he might have lived.