Gemotions

The sunlight streamed into the spare bedroom, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the air. John felt a strange pressure in his chest as he approached the final box. "John - All School Years." He paused, his hand hovering over the lid.

He lifted it slowly. He took a deep breath. Inside, a complete record of his academic life lay before him. It was as if his mother had created a detailed roadmap of his entire school career. He felt a sudden rush of heat, his face flushing.

He picked up a crumpled drawing from kindergarten, of a clumsy-looking dog. He could almost feel his mother's hands correcting the lines. He felt a profound sense of disorientation, a strange emptiness in his gut. He didn't know what to make of it. He felt the need to sit down. He felt, simply, overwhelmed.