Gemotions

The harsh fluorescent lights of the pawn shop seemed to intensify the feeling of being exposed. Olivia didn't want to be seen. She wanted to disappear, to fade into the background. The world had become a hostile place, filled with people and things that demanded too much from her.

She had lost interest in everything. Her appetite had vanished. She spent her days in a fog of apathy. She sought the pawn shop as she had sought many places lately; to feel something, anything, besides the pervasive indifference.

Then, there it was. A ring with a large, square-cut diamond, an elaborate setting. She knew it immediately. Her mother’s. The ring’s familiarity brought with it a familiar ache. The world seemed to tilt.

Her vision blurred. She didn't speak. She just pointed, the gesture a desperate plea.