Gemotions

The letter lay on the floor of the empty apartment, a forgotten testament to a life she'd tried to erase. Clara, back in the city after years away, stared at her youthful handwriting. It was addressed to a college friend.

She felt a sharp, stabbing sensation behind her eyes. The letter detailed the reasons for her abrupt departure, a secret she'd kept locked away for decades.

She grasped the edge of the kitchen counter for support, her knuckles white. She was overcome with the urge to flee again, to run far away from this painful truth.