Gemotions

The air inside the pawn shop was heavy with the scent of metal and decay. The shopkeeper, a woman with a perpetually tired expression, was engrossed in some paperwork. She paid no heed to the young woman browsing the items.

She surveyed the disorganized shop, taking in the chipped antiques and dusty trinkets. The clutter was strangely appealing. She breathed in deeply.

She approached the jewelry display with a sense of quiet anticipation. She ran her finger across the cold glass, her eyes scanning the collection. A silver locket, a string of pearls.

And then she saw it. The ring. The setting was unmistakable. A small, almost imperceptible tremor ran through her.

"How much is that one?" she asked, her voice clear.