Gemotions

He’d sworn off yard sales. A complete waste of time. Yet here he was, shuffling through boxes of junk with his hands shoved in his pockets. The air was thick with the scent of stale coffee and desperation. A small, ragged teddy bear lay amidst a pile of children's clothes, one ear practically hanging off. What a miserable thing.

He picked it up, feeling a profound sense of… something. Disgust, maybe. He tossed the bear back into the box, his fingers suddenly itching. The audacity of it, sitting there, expecting to be loved again. He shuddered, feeling the familiar knot tighten in his gut.

The woman running the sale smiled expectantly. He met her gaze, his own blank and cold. "Nothing," he said, turning and walking away, the image of the pathetic bear burned into his mind.