Gemotions

"Oh, it's just a little teddy bear!" The woman in the oversized sunglasses chuckled, pointing at the object of her fury. Clara felt a strange pressure building behind her eyes. It was like her heart was trying to claw its way out of her chest.

The bear, once a vibrant blue, was now faded and worn, stuffed carelessly amongst plastic trinkets. It had belonged to her sister, now gone. The injustice of it was a searing brand.

“How much?” Her voice sounded flat, unnaturally calm. The woman, oblivious, named a low price. Clara counted out the bills, each movement precise and deliberate, as if controlling an uncontrollable thing. She grabbed the bear and walked away, not meeting the woman's eyes. It was a theft, really, this buying of a memory like this.