Gemotions

He stared at the letter, a knot forming in his stomach. He’d been having a terrible day. He'd come to the bookstore looking for an escape, and instead, he'd found this. A letter, tucked into a dog-eared copy of "Crime and Punishment." The handwriting was frantic, almost desperate.

He didn't want to read it. He knew he shouldn't. It felt like an intrusion, a violation of privacy. He had no right. But the words, the tone, resonated with a feeling he knew well. He wouldn't allow himself to be controlled by it.

He carefully read the first line. Then the second. He'd never admit to anyone, but he felt an urge to know more. He wouldn't show weakness. He had a duty to read it through.