Gemotions

The letter, tucked between the pages of an old book, had been a secret for years. John remembered the day he'd received it: the shame, the helplessness, the suffocating guilt. He'd hidden the letter then, burying it deep inside himself, hoping to forget. He had failed. Now, the apology, offered after so long, was a judgment.

His hand trembled as he pulled it out. The paper felt like a burning coal, searing his skin. He sank onto the couch, the comfortable cushions suddenly uncomfortable. The room seemed too bright, the silence too loud. He couldn't shake the sensation of being judged, found wanting, again. He couldn’t escape the feeling of being exposed.