Gemotions

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the freshly mown lawn. Michael stretched out on his hammock, the gentle sway a soothing rhythm against the chirping of crickets. He took a long draw of his iced tea, the condensation a cool kiss on his skin. From next door, the sound of lawn sprinklers began, a soft hiss in the otherwise quiet neighborhood.

A sudden, loud CLUNK broke the afternoon serenity. Michael peered over the fence to see Mr. Henderson, his usually mild-mannered neighbor, wrestling a massive, ornate chest out of the back of a black SUV. The chest looked like something out of a pirate movie.

“Need a hand, Henderson?” Michael called out, his voice easy. Henderson, usually quick with a friendly wave, jumped, then mumbled something about it being "heavy stuff." Michael watched as, with surprising agility, Henderson managed to maneuver the chest into his garage, the door closing with a powerful *thunk*. The SUV, clearly a high-end model, pulled away. Michael went back to his hammock, idly wondering what could be inside that thing.