Gemotions

The weight lifted from him when he opened the book. Mark was standing in the bookstore, the smell of paper and ink filling his nostrils. The air, normally heavy with the pressure of his impending deadline, seemed to lighten. A second-hand copy of *One Hundred Years of Solitude* beckoned him to its depths. It was time for a change. He had decided, a week prior, that he deserved to get away from everything.

He flipped through the pages, eager to dive in, when a folded piece of parchment spilled out. His brow furrowed in concentration as he unraveled the paper. A detailed map, drawn with incredible skill, depicting the location of a hidden waterfall. A sense of excited wonder propelled him forward, and he knew he had to explore it. He felt like a boy again, and a smile played on his lips.