Gemotions

The air crackled with the sound of lawnmowers and distant chatter. But for Chloe, everything faded. Her childhood guardian, the teddy with the missing button eye, sat among a jumble of discarded books and outdated kitchen utensils. She felt a profound stillness.

She didn't immediately move forward. Her feet felt rooted to the spot, her mind an empty expanse. It was like her body had betrayed her, choosing immobility.

The woman running the yard sale, a grandmotherly type with a floral apron, noticed her attention. “He’s seen better days, bless his heart,” she said, chuckling. “How about a couple bucks?”

Chloe took a breath, the air filling her lungs in a shallow, uncertain manner. The woman seemed to recede, as if she were speaking underwater. Chloe finally walked forward and paid.