Gemotions

The old woman eyed him with suspicion as he approached the table. He barely noticed. He was focused on the bear, Mr. Higgins, laying there like a forgotten casualty. Its nose was worn smooth.

He stammered, “How much?” His voice sounded alien to his own ears. The woman named a price. He paid without haggling, his gaze fixed on the bear.

He left the yard sale, Mr. Higgins tucked securely under his arm, and found himself heading toward a place he’d not been to in years: the forest behind his childhood home. The trees seemed to lean in, watching him. The silence was absolute, broken only by the frantic pounding of his own heart.