Gemotions

The air in the pawn shop was thick with the scent of old things and forgotten dreams. He searched the cases, his gaze darting from object to object. Then, he saw it. His grandmother’s ring. A wave of intense awareness, a strange alertness, flooded his senses.

He approached the counter, feeling a sudden need to be… still, to concentrate. The shopkeeper, a man with cold, calculating eyes, watched him. He managed a weak smile.

He asked the price, his voice barely audible. He fumbled for his wallet. His palms were slick. He handed over the cash. When he held the ring, the metal felt warm, almost alive, against his skin.

He hurried outside, unable to explain the wild pounding of his heart. The city seemed brighter, more vibrant. A delicious, unfamiliar restlessness had taken root within him.