Gemotions

He found it in the crawlspace, nestled amongst cobwebs and forgotten toys. A small metal cylinder, sealed tight. John, perched on the dusty floor, ran a hesitant hand over the rusted surface. He felt a familiar knot of anxiety tighten in his stomach. The past always seemed to catch up to him, to reveal his inadequacies. He’d forgotten everything, the little things like this.

He pried the lid off, revealing a collection of childish drawings. His own scribbles, depicting spaceships and fantastical creatures. A wave of melancholic self-pity washed over him. The boundless imagination of the boy, the boy who'd dreamt of conquering the stars, was gone. He now just sought approval. He lived in the shadow of his boss. He felt the heavy weight of approval needed from others, the constant need for validation. It was suffocating.