Gemotions

Zara hesitated at the entrance. The pawn shop looked grimy and unwelcoming, but a magnetic pull tugged her forward. She'd been on a sentimental journey since her grandmother, Iris, had died. And then, there it was, gleaming faintly under the harsh light: the ring. She recognized the unique setting immediately.

She watched the shopkeeper, a man hunched over a cluttered counter, his movements slow and deliberate. She noticed the way he was staring at her. She felt vulnerable.

She walked forward. "Can I see that ring?" The words felt like a commitment, a promise. She knew that ring would be her responsibility.