Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows, mirroring the chaotic state of Daniel's thoughts. He sat slumped at the kitchen table, a half-eaten bowl of cereal congealing before him. He'd been battling a feeling of utter depletion for months, a constant hum of exhaustion that seemed to permeate every cell of his body. He'd come across the time capsule buried beneath the old oak tree in his backyard while trying to simply relax, an impossible task.

The contents of the box were a jumble of objects – a sealed letter, a favourite childhood toy, a comic book. He had no memory of any of it. He read the letter, which began with his younger self's buoyant optimism, and a pain in his chest, a deep ache, began. It was a letter to his future self, and the hopes and dreams expressed felt so distant, so unattainable. He felt he had walked too far, and that the finish line was farther than ever.