Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows of the old Victorian house, each gust of wind rattling the frames. Amelia hunched closer to the fire, the time capsule resting on the worn rug before her. She'd unearthed it in her backyard, while planting a rose bush. She had no recollection of digging a hole and burying something, yet here it was.

A bead of sweat trickled down her temple. Her hands trembled as she reached for the latch. She flinched as it clicked open, the sound echoing in the cavernous room. The flickering firelight cast dancing shadows, making the contents within the box seem to writhe. She swallowed hard, her mouth suddenly dry.

Her gaze darted from the box to the shadows, then back. The urge to bolt for the front door, to leave the mystery unsolved, was almost unbearable.