Gemotions

The bookstore was crammed and dim, but the words on the page caught her eye. Clara, a student with a penchant for gothic romance, purchased a worn copy of *Dracula*. Back in her dorm room, the words of the letter, found pressed within, were enough to make her hands grow clammy. The paper smelled of old perfume and something else, something metallic.

She read the first few lines, eyes darting about the room. When a shadow flickered past her door, she jumped. The hair on her neck stood up. She reached for her water bottle, taking a large gulp, trying to quell the sudden dryness in her mouth. Her fingers traced the elegant cursive of the letter. This was a message intended for someone else, and yet… it felt as if it were meant for her.