Gemotions

The park bench felt cold against Amelia’s back. Sunlight dappled through the leaves, casting dancing shadows. She'd been wandering, lost in her own thoughts, when her foot had struck something buried beneath the roots of an ancient oak. She uncovered it slowly. A time capsule. A small, unassuming box, marked with the date "1997." She blinked, confused. She'd been a child then.

Inside, a collection of childish drawings and a friendship bracelet. The name “Daniel” was scrawled on a small piece of paper. The bracelet, woven with bright colors, brought a sudden, unexpected sting to her eyes. She recognized the handwriting instantly. It was the same handwriting that had composed the goodbye note she had found on his bedside table.

The paper crumbled in her trembling hand. She buried the capsule again with a renewed sense of futility. She wanted to yell into the emptiness.