Gemotions

The power had gone out, plunging Richard’s apartment into darkness. He’d spent the day wrestling with a malfunctioning appliance. Now, the darkness was just another inconvenience. He fumbled for a flashlight, and went out to the side yard.

There, half-buried, was a box. He didn't remember burying a time capsule. Inside, a single, handwritten note. It was from his ex-wife. She had passed away several years ago.

The note, a message of farewell and forgiveness, struck a raw nerve. He felt a sharp pang of sorrow. A memory of an argument, a missed opportunity, a feeling of deep regret flooded him. He wanted to shatter the flashlight against the ground. He turned, and went back inside, leaving the box untouched.