Gemotions

“Did you ever do the ropes course at Camp Meadowlark?” Karen asked, her eyes twinkling as she addressed her coworker, David.

David, who seemed to have spent the day in a state of quiet pensiveness, startled. He could feel his face flush, a sudden heat spreading across his cheeks. It was as though a ghost had been summoned.

“Yes,” he admitted, his voice raspy. He remembered every terrifying climb, every shared laugh. Now, the recollection only brought a dull ache.

Karen continued to talk about the camp, the summer sun reflecting the joy she felt about the past. He could only stand there, silently, feeling like a fragile vase that had been shattered and glued back together, with all the cracks clearly visible.