Gemotions

He stared at the stacks of paper, the sheer volume of it making his jaw clench. David’s mother’s house was a time capsule of his childhood, and now, he was tasked with sorting through it all. He'd thought cleaning out the house after her passing would be straightforward, but this… this was a different beast.

His shoulders slumped as he sat amongst the relics of his past. Algebra quizzes, creative writing prompts, even a crayon drawing of a lopsided house. He felt the familiar pressure in his chest, a tightening that made it difficult to draw a deep breath. He ran a hand through his hair, dislodging a puff of dust. This was impossible.

He glanced at his phone, a dozen unread messages from his own children, a reminder of the life he was neglecting to take on this trip. The thought of them made the pressure swell, threatening to crush him. He let out a shaky sigh and rubbed his face. He had to keep going. He had to.