Gemotions

The list, penned in his grandfather’s shaky hand, lay on the workbench. “Build a birdhouse." John blinked rapidly, trying to clear the mist from his eyes. His grandfather, always tinkering, always creating. The garage, his haven, now felt like a museum of memories.

He picked up a hammer, its weight familiar in his hand. He’d never built anything more complex than a Lego castle. The wood, the nails, the measurements – it all seemed overwhelming. He took a deep breath, and set to work. Each swing of the hammer was a small act of defiance, a way to connect to a presence that was vanishing, leaving him behind.