Gemotions

As she approached the yard sale, Sophie felt a gradual softening within her. The bright colors and loud voices of the other shoppers seemed distant and muted. Everything was slow and quiet.

Her eyes settled on a familiar face. The bear was sitting among a pile of discarded trinkets, its fur worn and loved. She reached out, her fingers tracing its familiar shape, and a wave of calm washed over her.

“How much for the bear?” she asked the vendor, her voice barely audible. Without a second thought, she paid the price, and, with the bear cradled in her arms, she turned to leave, the world falling away.