Gemotions

“Everything alright, dear?” The woman behind the cluttered table asked, her eyes filled with concern. Michael just shrugged, trying to mask the emptiness that had become his constant companion since his best friend had moved away. The colors seemed muted, the energy around him flattened.

He didn't want anything. He didn't *need* anything. But he was restless, unable to stay inside, trapped by the silence of his own home. He wandered through the yard sale, listlessly examining the items on display.

Suddenly, a shock of recognition. There, amidst the mismatched plates and chipped figurines, was his old bear, Buttons. The bear he'd clung to through stormy nights, the bear that always seemed to understand. He reached out to pick it up, his hand hovering.