The Bottle
The bottle was found when we took out the wall between the living room and dining room. It was poised on a cross brace between studs. Crusted over with 75 years of dust, the viscous contents had darkened to a deep amber. Wrapped around the bottle was a yellowed piece of paper, the elegantly penned words faded to a nearly imperceptible gray. "Forgive me. I could not bear to see her suffer any longer." The cork, once removed, released a scent of bitter almonds...
