Gemotions

The old bookshop was a haven for Liam. He sought to lose himself in stories, to shut out the world. He picked up a copy of *Great Expectations*, hoping for a good escape.

A worn playing card, the Queen of Hearts, fell from the book. Behind it, a note. "She holds all the cards. But I still believe." He read it over and over.

He examined the card, felt the smooth surface beneath his fingers. A sense of yearning washed over him, a longing for something just out of reach. The silence of the shop seemed to press in on him.