Gemotions

The dust motes danced in the beam of his flashlight as he read the letter aloud in the basement, his voice sounding hollow. He was searching for his lost childhood, and this letter was a piece of it. It was to his best friend, who he’d drifted away from years ago. He felt the familiar ache in his chest, a yearning for the past. He ran a hand through his hair, the gesture somehow trying to find solace. The old, damp smell of the basement seemed to suffocate him. He dropped the flashlight; it clattered against the stone floor. He felt a sudden, inexplicable urge to flee.