Gemotions

The bear sat crammed between a chipped vase and a cracked ceramic cat. Liam circled the table twice, pretending to examine a box of old VHS tapes. He knew. He just knew. A cold, unsettling sensation crept up his spine.

"How much for the… bear?" he finally asked, his voice flat, emotionless. The seller, a teenage boy with ripped jeans and too much eyeliner, shrugged.

"Couple bucks. Take it or leave it." Liam paid. He didn't even check his change. Back in his car, he ran his fingers over the familiar, worn fur. A strange hollowness settled in his stomach, a physical manifestation of a feeling he couldn’t name.

He felt as though he had stepped into a different world, one with different rules and expectations. He was disoriented, thrown out of sync with his own life.