Gemotions

The musty smell of the basement clung to him like a shroud. Mark, staring at the scattered pictures, felt a familiar tightness around his chest. The family stories spoke of his grandfather's unwavering loyalty, his quiet dignity, his commitment to his family.

He found a set of photographs that did not match the narrative. His grandfather was in a series of photographs with another woman. They were hugging, laughing, smiling at each other. None of that was a part of the stories Mark had been told his entire life.

A coldness seeped into Mark, a sense of profound disorientation. He felt a strong desire to just leave the images there, to never look again. The knowledge had come too late.