Gemotions

The musty air of the bookstore did little to quell the unease in Leo's chest. He'd found the letter nestled within a first edition of "The Hobbit." The book was a gift for his nephew, who adored fantasy novels. He hesitated, holding the letter.

He unfolded it. A series of cryptic statements, written in a language he didn't recognize. He frowned. He scanned it again, the unfamiliar characters swimming before his eyes. He almost called the shop owner over, but stopped himself. *A prank, probably,* he decided. He tucked the letter back into the book, his gut twisting with the suspicion that maybe, just maybe, this was more than meets the eye.