Gemotions

The musty smell of the attic pressed down on Arthur’s chest, making it hard to breathe. He kept shuffling his feet, the dust motes dancing in the single shaft of sunlight that pierced the gloom. He’d barely spoken to his sister, Clara, since their parents' death. They'd both gone their separate ways.

Clara, perched on a dusty trunk, gestured with a dismissive wave. The lawyer had already gone through the formal reading, and it was Arthur's turn to rummage.

He reached for a cardboard box. Inside, he discovered a collection of his grandfather's old fishing lures, a handwritten letter of his father's, and an unopened savings account, holding a paltry sum. A hollow ache formed in his chest.

“Well, this is…underwhelming,” he mumbled, trying to keep his voice steady.

Clara, however, was beaming. Her inheritance was a mansion and a priceless art collection. She could not stop talking. "I can't wait to move in!"