Gemotions

The children were pointing and giggling. "Look, Daddy found a treasure!" He stared at the metal box, unearthed in the garden while weeding. A cold dread seeped through him. His smile felt fixed, unnatural. The memory of burying it was completely lost to him. The joy of the children's faces seemed to mock him.

His gaze flicked back and forth between the box and his children. His mouth felt dry, and he could barely swallow. He forced himself to crouch down, the simple act a monumental effort. He felt pinned by the weight of unspoken questions, of a past he couldn't access.

"Can we open it, Daddy?" His daughter's sweet voice cracked. He felt a rising tide, something that threatened to drown him. He nodded numbly.