Gemotions

The sun beat down on Liam’s back, but he was shivering. He'd been looking for a place to plant his new herb garden when he hit something hard. Now, he was holding a tarnished, brass-bound chest. He didn't know how long he could keep up this charade of being okay. Everything felt fragile, precarious.

He opened the chest carefully. A worn leather-bound journal lay inside, filled with a familiar handwriting. He recognized the penmanship of his late sister, a woman who had been both his confidante and his tormentor. The entries detailed her innermost fears, her hopes, her desires. He read, and the words sliced into his soul, leaving him raw. He knew he'd break apart if he kept reading.