Gemotions

The miniature train set that occupied the entire spare room was usually a source of quiet enjoyment for David. He'd spent years perfecting the landscape, the track layout, the incredibly specific detailing of each tiny building. Now, his son, Finn, wanted to build his own.

Finn’s enthusiasm was… loud. He chattered incessantly about locomotives and bridges and meticulously studied David’s collection of model train magazines. David kept finding discarded materials, his carefully curated collection rearranged into some strange, chaotic design.

He'd find himself making excuses to avoid the spare room, claiming extra work at the office. He'd catch himself correcting Finn’s placements, the impulse to control, to "fix" always bubbling. One afternoon, he found Finn trying to wire a miniature floodlight, a look of focused determination on his face. David felt a chill run down his spine.