Gemotions

The car keys felt heavy in Ben's hand. He circled the block one last time, the tires crunching on the gravel driveway. The house, his family's home for generations, stood defiant even as its fate was sealed. The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long, mournful shadows. He saw his younger self, a tiny figure on a bike, weaving through the hydrangeas. The memory, usually a source of comfort, now felt like a dagger twisting in his heart. He gripped the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turned white, unable to bring himself to park and say goodbye.