Gemotions

The card was tucked between a flyer for a pizza place and a utility bill. Amelia plucked it from the mailbox, her fingers already itching. She flipped it over, then again, examining the envelope for any clue. No return address. No stamp. Just a generic, flowery print. A wave of unease washed over her; a prickly feeling that crawled up her spine. This felt… off.

She cautiously opened the card, expecting a sales pitch or a cleverly disguised virus. Inside, a handwritten message wished her a happy birthday. A single line, signed with a loopy “Love, Always.” Amelia squinted at the handwriting, familiar yet indecipherable. She turned it over again, searching for hidden meaning, for an explanation. This was definitely odd.

She looked at her reflection in the glass of the front door, half expecting to see a stranger staring back.