Gemotions

The school playground seemed to shrink, the bright colors of the equipment suddenly dull. He saw his daughter skipping towards him, her face lit up, and his heart clenched. He imagined her, bright-eyed and eager, facing *him*. Mr. Harrison. The man who’d made him feel small, stupid, and utterly worthless throughout fifth grade. The man who’d reduced him to a quivering mess during every spelling test. He had to do something. Anything. He gripped the edge of the chain-link fence, his knuckles white.

"What am I supposed to do?" he murmured, a low rumble of disbelief.