Gemotions

The shovel felt heavy in Leo's hands as he dug in his backyard. He unearthed the time capsule – a rusty metal box, completely foreign. He didn't remember doing this. He carefully pried it open, the scent of aged paper and forgotten things filling his nostrils. A worn leather journal lay inside. He flipped through the brittle pages, the handwriting unfamiliar. A repeating phrase, scrawled repeatedly, caught his attention: "The truth hides in plain sight."

He ran his hand over his face. He felt a need to inspect his surroundings. He found himself constantly glancing over his shoulder. A bird’s sudden flight from a nearby tree made him jump. A strange itch prickled at the back of his neck.

He considered burning the journal, eliminating any potential threat. But what if it held the answers? He returned to the house, the metal box in his arms. He locked the front door, even though no one was near. He wanted to understand, but his gut screamed at him to be cautious.