Gemotions

He found it taped to the inside of a hatbox, beneath a collection of old photographs. The handwriting was neat, precise, almost clinical. "Learn to fly a plane." Mark’s mouth hung open. His mother, the meticulous accountant who always kept everything in order, had a desire for flight?

He felt a strange pressure building in his chest. He reread the list, each entry more bewildering than the last: "Build a house." "Write a book." "Find happiness." He ran a hand across his forehead, feeling a cold sweat break out. The hatbox, once filled with cherished memories, suddenly felt like a Pandora's Box, filled with the ghosts of unfulfilled dreams.