Gemotions

The old trunk in the guest room had always been a mystery to Chloe. Now, its contents were a Pandora’s Box. She pulled out a faded letter, penned in her grandfather's distinctive hand. It was a letter of resignation from his role as an army captain.

Her fingers traced the words, each one a revelation. He mentioned the war, but in a way that had never been spoken of. He spoke of despair, of a moral conflict she never knew he’d wrestled with. He spoke of seeing things he never told anyone.

She sat on the floor, the trunk’s contents scattered around her. A lump formed in her throat. She understood nothing anymore. The floorboards creaked.