Gemotions

The attic air hung thick and dusty, catching in Leo’s throat. He coughed, waving a hand in front of his face. His mother, bless her, thought it was a brilliant idea to have him help clear out the house. Now, surrounded by boxes of forgotten treasures, he felt a knot tighten in his stomach. He lifted the lid of one, expecting old photo albums or forgotten toys. Instead, he saw it: a neatly labeled box: "Leo – School."

His face flushed a deep red. He reached in, his fingers trembling, and pulled out a faded, stapled packet. It was a book report on *Where the Wild Things Are*, complete with a crayon drawing of a rather lopsided monster. He could feel heat rising in his neck, stinging his cheeks. He wished he could just vanish.

"Find anything interesting, sweetie?" his mother’s voice chirped from the doorway. He mumbled something unintelligible and quickly closed the box, slamming the lid down, the sound echoing in the confined space.