Gemotions

The throngs of people at the yard sale made Maya’s stomach churn. She hated crowds, the relentless noise, the feeling of being jostled and unseen. Her eyes darted around, searching for a familiar face, a sense of grounding. Then, she saw it, almost hidden beneath a stack of old books: a once-bright blue bear with a slightly torn ear. Bluey. Her heart leapt into her throat.

“Is that… for sale?” she stammered, pointing a trembling finger. The seller, a teenager with headphones around her neck, nodded. Maya paid quickly, her fingers fumbling with the bills. She held Bluey close, the soft fur a balm to her frayed nerves.

Back in her sterile apartment, Maya held Bluey. She barely took her eyes off him, even when drifting off to sleep.