Gemotions

The afternoon sun beat down on Liam’s back as he unearthed the metal container. He’d been helping his neighbor, Mrs. Gable, with her garden. He knew nothing of this spot, and yet… it felt like a ghost of familiarity was resting upon his shoulders. He felt a profound disorientation. He didn’t recall doing this.

The container was small and rectangular, with a latch that was difficult to open. Inside: a baseball card. A card of a player he’d never heard of. But the name, scrawled across the bottom in what looked like his own handwriting, sent a shiver down his spine. Why? He felt a sense of dread.

A photo accompanied the card. Liam as a young boy, grinning with a missing tooth, holding a baseball bat. He looked happy. He felt utterly disconnected from that picture. The photograph had the effect of creating a hollow feeling within him. He wanted to throw up.