Gemotions

The attic was stifling, the air thick with the scent of forgotten things. Mark found a stack of photos depicting his uncle, a figure always painted as a tragic hero, a martyr to the family's woes. But in these images, his uncle was happy, jovial, surrounded by friends. He was carefree. The weight of the family narrative suddenly felt lighter, less oppressive. He looked at the man's face, a face he'd only known in somber tones, and felt a pull towards empathy.

He thought of the uncle's life, and he decided to make his way to the family cemetery.