Gemotions

He dragged his feet, the sound echoing in the cavernous attic. Every muscle in Ben's body ached. He’d been pushing himself, working double shifts to make ends meet, and the weight of it pressed down on him. The realtor had mentioned the attic was empty. Not quite.

A tarnished silver locket lay nestled in a forgotten trunk. He picked it up, the cold metal a shock to his fingertips. Images of his family, his wife and children, flashed through his mind, and the urge to call them was almost overwhelming.

He rested against a crate, his legs threatening to give way. "Seriously?" he whispered to himself, the dust motes blurring in his vision. The locket felt heavy in his hand, a reminder of all the expectations he carried.