Gemotions

He held the letter aloft, turning it over in his hands. An old photograph slipped from the envelope and fluttered to the floor. It depicted him, younger, thinner, with a messy mop of hair and a wistful expression. His throat tightened. The image was a mirror of a self he no longer recognized. He hadn't sent this. Why not?

He bent to retrieve the photo, the corners of the paper crinkling under his fingertips. The letter, he soon realized, was to his father. He hadn't spoken to his father in years, and the letter was filled with grievances he had long since come to terms with. The words felt like echoes of a different life, and a strange pressure began to build in his chest. A strange unease set in.