Gemotions

The damp chill of the basement seeped into Leo’s bones as he examined the draft resignation. His grandfather, a man he remembered as jovial and easygoing, had penned these words in a fit of rage.

He paced back and forth, the letter clutched in his hand. “…exploited…manipulated…" The words clawed at him. The man had always downplayed his career, framing it as a series of simple triumphs.

He threw the letter onto an old workbench, the sound echoing in the cavernous room. He picked up a rusty wrench, hefting its weight, feeling the cold metal against his palm. His grandfather never spoke of his pain.