Gemotions

The stairs groaned under Sarah’s weight as she ascended to the attic, each creak amplifying the silence. She’d promised her therapist she’d confront her emotions by tackling this project, but she felt a sense of dread pooling in her stomach.

She uncovered a collection of old photographs, each image a sepia-toned window into lives long gone. A young couple embracing, a smiling toddler, a group of friends laughing. She traced the outlines of the faces, a knot forming in her throat.

She picked up a small, wooden music box, its paint chipped and faded. Winding it up, a tinkling melody filled the dusty space. The tune, so familiar yet alien, brought tears to her eyes.