Gemotions

The salt spray of the ocean kissed Amelia's face as she clutched the letter, its edges softened by the sea air. She'd found it tucked away inside an old book. Her own handwriting, clumsy and childish, stared back at her. It was a letter to her father, never sent.

Her heart felt squeezed, as if someone was applying pressure. The wind whipped her hair across her face, stinging her eyes. She scanned the paragraph, the words blurring. They were filled with accusations, with resentment.

Her breath came in shallow, panicked bursts. He was gone now. She couldn't take the words back. The waves crashed against the rocks below, a relentless, echoing roar. She felt a profound and crushing sense of regret and dread.