Gemotions

Leo slumped against the cold marble of the ancestral home's entrance hall. The flickering gaslight cast dancing shadows, but none could quite capture the swirling darkness inside him. He hadn't slept well in weeks, tormented by a persistent feeling of unease. His sister, Clara, was giddy with anticipation, fiddling with the pearl necklace that had just been bequeathed to her.

The lawyer, a sharp-featured woman in a severe suit, had barely finished explaining the legal jargon when Clara began to chatter about the jewelry. Leo couldn't quite bring himself to look at his sister. He was distracted by the sheer bulk of the house itself and knew the inheritance wouldn't fit his needs.

"And Mr. Leo will inherit…the family’s archives," the lawyer announced. It was a collection of dusty documents and obscure historical accounts. Leo felt a suffocating sense of emptiness. He just wanted to go home and lie in the dark.