Gemotions

Rain lashed against the attic window as Daniel sorted through the trunk. He'd always heard his grandfather's stories of bravery and stoicism during the war. He expected to find medals and letters of valour, but instead, he found pictures of his grandfather, younger, thinner, and utterly terrified, huddled with a group of friends. One of them had a bandaged hand. The contrast with the man Daniel knew—always composed, always in control—was striking. The reality of fear and vulnerability, so long hidden, resonated within him, a deep understanding of the weight carried.

He sat on the floor, the rain drumming a slow rhythm on the roof. He went to make a cup of tea.