Gemotions

The discovery startled Thomas. He didn’t remember burying this. He stood, frozen, in the middle of his garden, the shovel still clutched in his hand. The box was small, rectangular, and made of a polished wood. His brow furrowed in confusion. A knot tightened in his stomach. He wasn't usually so... unsettled.

He opened it cautiously, his heart quickening. Inside, a single, tarnished silver locket. He snapped it open. A tiny, dried-up wildflower lay nestled within, beside a miniature photograph of a smiling girl. The girl looked remarkably like... his daughter. A deep ache resonated within him, a kind of emptiness he couldn't name. He closed the locket with a snap, feeling the sudden prick of tears.