Gemotions

From the moment he had seen the files, Ben knew something was wrong. His mother's room was spotless. Her dresser drawers were impeccably organized. He’d expected sentimentality, some treasured photographs, but this… this was too much. The neat rows of folders, labeled with precise dates and subjects, felt like a judgment.

His breath hitched as he picked up a folder marked "Ben - 6th Grade - Science." He hesitated for a long moment, before opening it, but now a chill spread through his body. There, in his own handwriting, were his science experiments, complete with his mother's careful grading notes. The sensation in his chest was heavy.

He had to get out, he realized. He just had to breathe. He turned and stumbled toward the door, his heart hammering against his ribs.