Gemotions

The heat of the desert sun beat down on David's neck as he brushed sand from the time capsule. This find felt like some kind of cosmic joke. He’d been exploring an abandoned homestead, an activity he’d come to rely on as a way to avoid everything else, when his boot struck something hard. Now, he was digging up a metal tube. His name, scrawled into the side with a crude marker.

He struggled with the lid. The tube was sealed tight. Finally, with a grunt of effort, it popped open. Inside, nestled in cotton padding, were a handful of rocks, a folded map, and a note. The note was written in his own, familiar handwriting. It was filled with dreams he no longer held. His jaw clenched.

He kicked a nearby stone. The sound echoed across the desolate landscape. He needed to be anywhere but here, anywhere but confronted with this… this reminder of his failings.