Gemotions

The world seemed to hum with an unseen energy. Maya’s cheeks ached from smiling so much. Tucked away in the basement, behind a stack of old holiday decorations, she’d unearthed a trove. Her mother’s meticulous files, filled with book reports, science projects, and even the stick figures from her kindergarten art class.

She spun around, dizzy with delight, the cardboard file nearly flying from her grasp. “This is incredible!” she whispered to the empty room. She felt like she’d won the jackpot. The thought of this hidden trove, this secret, brought a giddiness over her.

She grabbed a half-eaten bag of chips and started to dance, her feet moving in ways they usually did not. The music from her headphones, typically listened to with casual interest, suddenly seemed to sync with her mood perfectly.