Gemotions

The attic was stifling, filled with dust motes dancing in the afternoon sun. Clara, tasked with clearing out her grandmother’s things, stumbled upon a small metal box hidden beneath a pile of old blankets. She stared at it. An odd sensation, a pulling in her gut, took hold of her.

Inside were a collection of old photographs, a few pressed flowers, and a tarnished silver locket. Clara didn't recognize the people in the photographs. Her head began to throb. The locket was the final puzzle piece. She knew she’d never seen it before.

She felt a wave of nausea. She wanted out. She wanted to escape the claustrophobic space. She backed away from the box, pushing her way through the clutter until she was back on the stairs, and then she ran outside.