Gemotions

The bustling street and the chatter of yard-sale shoppers felt like an assault. Liam felt a hollowness in his chest, a heavy cloak he couldn't shed. His shoulders slumped, and every movement felt laboured. He didn't want to be there. But he knew he should be.

He saw a familiar shape tucked away in a dusty corner. A brown teddy bear, missing an eye and with a patched-up leg. He recognized it immediately. It was Reginald. His childhood companion. A wave of recollections washed over him, a mixture of comfort and ache.

“Five dollars," the man selling it said, looking away, bored. Liam reached for his wallet. The familiar weight of the leather was strangely comforting. He handed over the money, the simple act feeling monumental. He held Reginald close as he walked away, a silent plea escaping his lips.