Gemotions

He crouched beside the excavated time capsule, the midday sun baking his neck. The soil smelled rich and fertile. Michael found a strange lightness in his limbs as he pried the lid open. A rush of adrenaline filled him.

Inside, carefully wrapped in tissue paper, was a hand-painted wooden box. He removed the lid. A scattering of dried flower petals perfumed the air.

He picked up a small, ornate key. He didn't know what it unlocked, but the thought of finding out filled him with an almost unbearable excitement. His fingers fumbled with the key as he spun it between his fingers. He closed his eyes.