Gemotions

The musty smell of the basement clung to Leo as he flipped through the brittle pages. His father’s handwriting, neat and precise, filled the notebooks. Every book report, every math test, every drawing, preserved for posterity. Leo gritted his teeth.

He recalled his own academic struggles, the late-night study sessions, the constant feeling of inadequacy. The weight of his father’s achievements pressed down on him. A wave of heat washed over him.

He slammed the notebook shut, the sound echoing in the confined space. He wanted to scream, to tear the pages, to erase the perfection. He kicked the box, ignoring the sting in his foot, the sound a low, frustrated growl in the echoing basement.