Gemotions

The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the park, but Maya couldn’t find a comfortable spot. She’d shifted from bench to bench, the gentle breeze doing nothing to soothe the tension knotting in her shoulders. Her usual activities felt hollow, lacking substance. She found herself gravitating towards the local used bookstore. It was a familiar refuge, but the feeling lingered, even as she scanned the shelves.

Finally, she pulled a book off the shelf – a collection of folklore from various cultures. As she thumbed through the pages, a small, square piece of paper fell out. It was a ticket stub for a train ride to a coastal town, dated a decade ago. A picture of the coast suddenly flashed in her mind, and that feeling intensified.