Gemotions

He felt as though he was drowning, the weight of his failures pressing down on him. The world was a dull gray. Each breath was a struggle.

The yard sale, a riot of mismatched objects and forgotten memories, did little to soothe him. The constant chatter grated on his nerves. He felt a deep, pervasive sense of unease.

He froze. There, amidst a pile of broken toys, sat a familiar friend: a teddy bear with a stitched-on patch on his belly. It was, of all things, Captain Buttons. He felt a strange tingling sensation in his fingertips. His vision blurred, and the familiar scent of old wood and mothballs overwhelmed him.