Gemotions

“Swim with dolphins,” Liam read aloud, his voice strained. His father, a man of routine and practicality, had apparently been a secret dreamer. The list was a stark contrast to the life he had known. “Write a song.”

He crumpled the paper in his hand, a futile gesture. He wished he could just make it disappear. He felt a tightness in his chest, a sensation of being trapped in a small, suffocating space. He had to be strong, for his younger sister.

He closed his eyes. The world seemed to tilt on its axis. He couldn’t shake the sense of an impending disaster, a chasm opening up beneath him. He was supposed to be the anchor, and he felt like he was slipping away.