Gemotions

The bell above the pawn shop door jingled as Elias entered, the stale air thick with the scent of dust and forgotten things. He wasn't there to buy, not really. He was just... looking. His grandmother, Beatrice, had passed a year ago, leaving behind a void Elias felt acutely. He’d been browsing the jewelry case when a glint of gold caught his eye. It was a ring, an intricate filigree design, almost identical to the one he remembered Beatrice always wearing.

He swallowed hard, his throat suddenly tight. He gestured towards it, his voice a little hoarse, and the shopkeeper, a man with a perpetually weary face, pulled it out. The ring felt cold against his palm, but the details were unmistakable. This was it.

"How much?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady. He knew he didn't have the money. He knew the shopkeeper would likely take advantage of him. But he couldn't leave it there. He had to try.