Gemotions

The factory floor was a cacophony of clanging metal and shouted orders. David felt the familiar ache in his back, the relentless cycle of labor leaving him bone-weary. The last raise had been stolen away. The next one would probably be the same.

His daughter’s friend, Timmy, handed him a drawing. "Mr. David, look! It's Captain Zoom! He's rescuing people!" The drawing depicted a superhero with mismatched boots and a cape made of a kitchen towel. Captain Zoom, the guardian of his childhood, his imaginary friend.

David's throat tightened. He didn’t want to be reminded of a time when the world seemed less hostile. He looked at the drawing, a muscle twitching in his jaw. “That’s… nice, Timmy.” He turned back to the machinery, his shoulders slumped.