Gemotions

The news played on a continuous loop in the background, a litany of disasters and despair. Each headline intensified the knot in his stomach. He felt a wave of cold wash over him, a physical manifestation of his anxieties. He had found the time capsule in the garden, a small box, buried deep in the soil, while he was tending to his garden.

Inside, a collection of seeds, a drawing of a lush green forest, and a letter promising a brighter future. He looked at the seeds, so small, so full of potential, and felt a profound sense of loss. He knew he should plant them, but the effort felt insurmountable. He dropped the box, the contents scattering across the dirt. He felt like his heart was shrinking.