Gemotions

The wind whipped around Thomas, tugging at his jacket as he stared at the open time capsule. He’d found it while clearing out his late grandmother's garden, a poignant reminder of a past he desperately tried to forget. His grandmother’s handwriting was scrawled on the capsule.

He’d known her better than anyone, and yet, he felt as if he was looking at a complete stranger’s past. A small, tarnished music box was inside. He wound it and the familiar melody filled the air. He tried to remember who it was that sang him this song when he was a child.

He felt a sudden and profound emptiness. The sweet, simple tune only amplified his sense of dislocation. He covered his face with his hands.