Gemotions

The yard sale was in a neighborhood he’d sworn he’d never return to. The house, the very street, felt like a trap. The bear, Bartholomew, was slumped amongst a pile of broken toys. A wave of nausea washed over him.

He didn't speak to the woman selling the items. He just pointed and held out the cash. He felt a strange detachment, as if he were observing himself from a distance.

He held the bear clutched against his chest. He felt a peculiar lightness, as if he were floating, but his feet were planted firmly on the ground. When he arrived home, he closed the blinds and lay on his bed. The world seemed to shrink and the ceiling began to spin.