Gemotions

David dragged himself through the motions of each day. He hadn’t showered in two days and had barely eaten. The simplest tasks felt impossibly difficult. The thought of leaving his mother's house was a barrier he couldn't seem to break.

He was supposed to be sorting through her possessions, but he found himself drawn back to his old room. On the top shelf of the closet, a box. “David’s Accomplishments,” the label read. He lifted the lid, a strange mix of dread and morbid curiosity swirling within him. Inside, a testament to his entire school career.

He flipped through the pages, his past staring back at him. His good grades, his art projects, the evidence of his youth. A profound sense of emptiness washed over him. He felt the sting of tears, silently and slowly, down his cheeks.