Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows, mirroring the storm brewing inside Leo. He felt drained, the energy sapped from him like water from a dry sponge. The thought of getting out of bed seemed a Herculean task, but obligations, as always, pulled him forward. He wandered through the sprawling mess of a yard sale on his street.

He barely looked at the items; his eyes were vacant and unfocused. His shoulders slumped forward as he walked, his steps were sluggish and his breath shallow. Then, a familiar shape caught his eye: a bear, its fur matted and faded, perched precariously on a stack of books. It was Buttons, the teddy bear he had loved as a child.

His insides twisted. He remembered the bear's comforting presence through childhood terrors and lonely nights. Buying Buttons was a necessity. He didn't want to think about why. He simply needed to. "How much?" he asked the seller, his voice flat.