Gemotions

The air was thick with the scent of grilling food and the chatter of people. She felt a buzzing sensation under her skin, like static electricity. She navigated the crowded aisles with focused determination, her eyes darting from one booth to the next.

She rounded a corner and stopped short. A small, familiar form peeked out from beneath a pile of old linens. Her breath caught. The stuffing was gone from one ear, but there was no mistaking it. Her heart thumped hard against her ribs.

“How much for the teddy bear?” she asked, her voice unexpectedly steady. The seller, a woman with bright pink hair, named a price. She fumbled with the money, her fingers clumsy. She had to have it.