Gemotions

He carefully dusted off the old photograph he'd found in the attic. A young woman with a bright smile, standing on the porch of his house, decades ago. The detective had confirmed her fate; the house had been the scene of a missing person's case, quickly becoming a cold case.

He felt a deep well of empathy open inside him. He didn’t know this woman, but he felt a connection to her, to her hopes and dreams, now lost to time. He ran his thumb over the worn edges of the photograph.

He stood on the porch, feeling the afternoon breeze against his face. He’d always loved the feel of the sun, the sound of the wind. This house, now his sanctuary, had witnessed so much heartache. He knew he was the custodian of this place, holding onto its past and its future.