Gemotions

Arthur let out a whoop of glee when he saw the book. He loved the old ones, the ones that had seen better days. He picked it up with a gentle touch, imagining all the hands that had held it, all the stories it had contained.

He took a seat on a rickety stool, his leg bouncing up and down. He felt giddy as he flipped through the pages, the paper brittle and crackling. He could almost hear the ghosts of past readers whispering in his ear.

A small envelope, tucked deep within the book, beckoned to him. He practically ripped the thing out of the book. “Well, well, well,” he said aloud, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.