Gemotions

The tiny plastic dinosaurs scattered across the living room carpet felt like a personal affront. Arthur had spent years, decades even, building this collection. Now, his six-year-old son, Finn, treated them with a savage glee, staging battles that ended with the meticulous, painted scales getting chipped and marred. Arthur's stomach clenched. He found himself picking up a Triceratops, his fingers tracing the delicate frill, and almost wincing at a fresh scratch. Finn charged in, roaring a primeval challenge, and snatched the creature away. Arthur could only watch, a tremor in his jaw as he took a step backward, the vibrant chaos unfolding like a nightmare he couldn't wake from.