Gemotions

The air smelled of cut grass and old furniture. Daniel, scanning the tables, stopped short. There, in a box of other discarded items, was Mr. Grumbles. He felt his heart skip a beat.

He remembered the times he had clutched the bear, the endless nights of comfort he'd found in his soft fur. He remembered the careless way he had left him, abandoned. A sudden, sharp sting hit his chest. He felt like he had failed an old friend.

The woman running the sale was talking to another customer, engrossed in a conversation. He paid and retrieved the toy. A deep ache settled in his soul. He had to give him a proper home again.