Gemotions

The sun beat down on the cracked pavement as David reread the letter. Addressed to his estranged brother, it was a rambling confession of all the sibling rivalry, of his resentment, of the times he had felt jealous. The ink had faded, but the words were still sharp, like shards of glass.

He kicked a discarded can down the street. It was all so stupid. He regretted the bitterness, the pettiness, the wasted years. Finding this letter was like having the past thrust back into his face.

He clenched his jaw, the muscles in his neck strained. He had been so wrong. He wanted to call his brother, to apologize, but the words were stuck in his throat, and the ache in his chest was a suffocating thing. He crumpled the letter and threw it into the nearest trash bin.