Gemotions

The doorbell rang, and he opened the door to find a delivery man holding a package addressed to "Ms. Vivian Sterling." The name meant nothing to him. The sky was the same color as the old, weathered bricks of the building, and the wind had a bite to it.

He brought the package inside, placing it on the floor of his dimly lit hallway. He felt a profound weariness, the kind that settles deep in your bones after a long, lonely day. He wasn't particularly interested in the mystery.

He eventually picked it up, curiosity piqued. Inside was a framed photograph of a woman, young and laughing, standing in front of the Eiffel Tower. Her eyes, bright and brimming with joy, met his.

A feeling of intense sadness blossomed within him, a sense of fleeting connection. He hadn't felt this acutely in decades. He had wanted to go to Paris. He set the picture down, the woman’s smile mocking him.