Gemotions

The attic air was thick with dust and the scent of forgotten things. Ethan climbed the creaking stairs, the effort leaving him breathless. He felt exhausted by a lifetime of responsibility. He was looking for his grandfather's old journals. Instead, he found a box of old books, forgotten treasures.

He picked up a volume of poetry, the cover a deep shade of blue that he liked. A single, folded sheet of paper fell from its pages. It was a letter, penned in a confident hand.

"The world is a difficult place," it started. Ethan felt a kinship with the stranger's words. He had never felt that way before.