Gemotions

The afternoon sun streamed through the dusty windows of the spare bedroom. Liam felt pinned. He had agreed to help his grandmother clear out the house after his aunt’s passing. He found a trunk. His mother’s things.

He sifted through the neatly organized files. Schoolwork, from his earliest scribbles to his high school graduation essay. He recognized his own handwriting, the messy loops and flourishes of his youth. A flicker of discomfort stirred in his stomach. Each page, a ghost of a memory.

He pulled out a math test, marked with a large, angry "F". He remembered the shame, the frustration. He crumpled the paper in his fist, his knuckles turning white. He tossed it aside and stood up quickly. The room seemed to shrink. He had to get out. He needed a drink.