Gemotions

The air crackled with a nervous energy, and the constant hum of conversation was starting to become unbearable. Every interaction felt like an interview, every question a potential source of failure. She tugged at her collar, feeling a familiar heat creep up her neck. This yard sale felt like a maze, and she was desperate to find the exit.

Then, through the clutter, she saw him. He was a small, dusty presence, barely visible beneath a pile of old books. It was Buttons, the bear she had cherished as a child. A jolt went through her, her breath hitching slightly. The woman behind the table kept her eyes peeled, watching the small crowd, like a vulture.

“Five dollars,” the woman said, her voice flat. She quickly paid the price. As she held the bear, she felt a flicker of something she thought she’d lost a long time ago.