Gemotions

The park was supposed to be a refuge. Instead, the sight of happy families, children squealing with delight, only heightened the feeling. He sat on a bench, avoiding eye contact, a deep frown etched on his face. His gaze drifted to a newly turned-over patch of earth. He walked over, noticing a metal box. A time capsule. He bent down, an unexpected wave of something unsettling washing over him.

Inside, a worn copy of his favorite book, a book he hadn't opened in years. A pressed flower, once vibrant, now brittle. A photograph of a younger version of himself, radiating ambition. He wanted to shout, to scream. The contrast between that person and the hollow individual he had become was brutal.