Gemotions

The hum of the refrigerator was the loudest noise in the house. Liam paced the kitchen, the linoleum cold beneath his bare feet. He’d finished his chores, read the paper, and watched a documentary on the mating habits of arctic terns. Nothing felt interesting. He was running out of things to do. He went to his parents' old storage unit, looking for a distraction.

In the back, underneath a pile of forgotten board games, he unearthed a box. Inside, amidst yellowed letters and faded trinkets, was a letter. His mother’s resignation. He found it tucked away in the back of the box. The letter’s simple, direct language painted a picture of a soul slowly withering. The letter concluded, "I cannot go on." He felt a strange sort of empathy.