Gemotions

Sarah ran a hand through her hair, a nervous habit she hadn’t realized she still had. The photographs, discovered hidden away in a box, showed her great-grandfather, a man she’d always been told was an upright pillar of the community, in a completely different light. He was pictured here, in a casino, enjoying a whiskey.

Sarah felt a chill run down her spine. The stories she’d grown up with, the tales of honor and respect, seemed to evaporate. She felt a growing sense of dread.

She closed the album with a snap. The sound echoed in the quiet room, amplifying the sudden tension. She went to the window, took a breath, and tried to calm her racing pulse.