Gemotions

I wandered along the beach, the sand cool beneath my bare feet. The relentless ocean was a comfortable rhythm. I was on the hunt for seashells, my usual pastime when I needed to calm my mind. I was drawn to a spot near the dunes, where the wind had exposed some of the buried treasures.

My fingers brushed against something hard. I started digging. I unearthed a small, tarnished silver locket. It sprang open easily, revealing a miniature portrait of a young woman I didn't recognize. There was a lock of hair within.

A sense of tranquility enveloped me. The air was light. I closed the locket and then, without a second thought, I replaced it, deeper in the sand.