The First Confidante

The fluorescent lights of the library hummed a low, monotonous tune, a stark contrast to the frantic symphony playing in Alex’s mind. The worn document, its edges softened with age and countless hands, felt both impossibly heavy and strangely fragile in their grip. Alex traced the faded ink, each word a spark igniting a fire that had been smoldering for far too long. But the thrill of discovery was quickly curdling into a gnawing anxiety. This was too big to carry alone. The weight