Gemotions

Rain hammered against the window as Thomas sat, hunched over the dusty tome. He’d found the letter in a biography of a long-dead politician – a man who had, according to the letter, been a far more complex character than the history books portrayed. The letter writer, someone named "Elias," painted a portrait of a man driven by hidden ambitions. Thomas, however, cared nothing for the politician. He was more interested in the letter's anonymous recipient: a woman named "Isabelle."

A slow smile crept across Thomas’s face. He imagined Isabelle’s shock upon receiving the book, especially if she found the letter. She'd enjoy the drama. He carefully tore out the letter, then used his lighter to slowly burn the edges of the pages, making them brittle and singed.

He sealed the book in a plain brown envelope, then wrote Isabelle’s address in elegant cursive, a skill he had perfected in his youth. It would be a gift, yes, but a very specific kind of gift.