Gemotions

The old carousel horse in the attic, its paint chipped and worn, caught the afternoon sun. It had once been his favourite. David stood amongst the dust motes and shadows, a letter clutched in his hand. He hadn't been in the attic for years. He took in the scent of aged wood and forgotten treasures. He needed to touch something, to feel something.

The letter's contents, a revelation of a half-sister, had upended his world. He remembered his childhood home, the games he’d played, the laughter he’d shared with his parents. Those feelings now felt tinged with something.

He sat on a dusty trunk, his back against the wall, a wave of weariness washing over him. The carousel horse seemed to mock him, the bright colours of its past now muted. He felt a desire to reclaim the innocence of his youth, a longing for something pure and simple.