Gemotions

The harsh fluorescent lights of the garage cast long, unflattering shadows across the items for sale. Ethan hated the harsh light, hated everything about this cluttered space. He stood near the back, leaning against a rusted car, his arms crossed, his gaze fixed on the floor. He felt a hollowness inside him, a vast, echoing emptiness that nothing could fill. He was nothing.

Then, there. At the far end, in a box filled with old knick-knacks, was the bear. A physical jolt ran through him. His face went pale. He felt a sudden, urgent need to flee, to escape the suffocating weight of the past. He forced himself to walk towards it, his footsteps slow, deliberate. His hands were shaking. He reached for it, and his world was destroyed.