Gemotions

The damp earth clung to Sarah's fingers as she brushed away the soil from the time capsule. Her jaw was tight, and her eyes were dry, yet brimming with unspoken turmoil. The discovery had dredged up a torrent of emotions, a chaotic mix of confusion and regret. She didn't want to open it.

The capsule was buried beneath the old oak tree in her parents' backyard, a location that sent a chill down her spine. The inscription read "For my future self." How morbid, she thought.

Inside, she found a letter. The handwriting was her own, but the words were foreign. She read a few lines, then crumpled it in her fist, her hands shaking. The sentiments expressed were alien to her current state of mind. She closed her eyes. It was too much.