Gemotions

The afternoon sun streamed through the window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. Michael examined the list, tucked away in his father's desk drawer. He had to be at peace, for his father's sake.

He read the first item, "Learn to fly a plane." He tried to imagine his father, the man of business and calculations, soaring through the sky. He felt a familiar hollowness in his chest.

The thought of all that sky, that vast emptiness, made him catch his breath. He ran a hand through his hair. The room seemed to shrink, the walls closing in on him. He felt pinned down, anchored.