The crowbar slipped beneath the swollen lid. Andrew braced his foot against the side, muscles straining. With a groan of protest, the clasp finally yielded, the sound echoing through the study like a gunshot. Dust spiraled into the air, heavy with the smell of mold and old secrets.
For a heartbeat, he hesitated, staring at the lid ajar. His chest tightened, breath shallow. Then, with trembling hands, he lifted it fully. Hinges shrieked. Inside lay bundles of paper, yellowed with age, tied with faded ribbon. Beneath them, leather covers winked faintly through layers of crumbling tissue.