Gemotions

The last box labeled "Miscellaneous" sat in the middle of the hallway. He felt the familiar ache in his lower back, the exhaustion that had become a constant companion. His parents’ faces were a blur of forced enthusiasm.

He forced a smile, pushing the box aside. The house felt smaller than he remembered, the ceilings lower. He took a deep breath, trying to dispel the feeling of being trapped. The future stretched before him, a long and tedious road. He knew there was little joy at the journey’s end.