Gemotions

He sat on the porch swing, the rhythmic creak a soothing lullaby, the dusk shadows stretching across the lawn. His brother's daughter, Maya, was visiting for the summer, a joy he had almost forgotten he needed. She ran up to him, excitedly holding out a drawing.

There, among the brightly colored flowers and fantastical animals, was a familiar shape: a tall, thin figure with spindly limbs and a crooked grin. It was Mr. Snuggles, his imaginary companion, a figure he had almost forgotten existed. He had so many questions.

He felt a deep pang, a sudden awareness of all that had changed, all that had been lost. He felt the phantom touch of a hand on his, a weightless presence at his side. He wanted to reach back, to recapture that feeling of pure joy, that untainted sense of wonder.