Gemotions

The afternoon sun streamed through the window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. David sat surrounded by folders, his skin prickling with unease. He had accidentally tripped upon the stash while cleaning out his mother’s closet. He felt a sense of panic rising inside him.

His gaze fell on a math test, the dreaded red marks, the scrawled comments about carelessness. He remembered the lectures, the pressure to always do better. He took a shaky breath, the air feeling thin and insufficient. He wanted to tear the papers up, to obliterate the past, but his hands remained still.