Gemotions

The humidity clung to him as he sifted through the boxes in the damp basement. Daniel was cleaning out his deceased aunt's old house. He wasn't particularly close to her, but her sudden passing had left a vacuum that he was tasked with filling. He pulled out a box filled with his aunt’s personal effects, and inside, at the bottom, was a folded letter. It was written on cheap, lined paper, addressed to the city council. It was a resignation from her volunteer position at the local library. The handwriting was neat, but the words were halting, the phrasing awkward. The reasons provided were vague and seemed incomplete. He felt a sudden, inexplicable tightening in his chest.