Gemotions

The morning had begun poorly, and the prospect of a yard sale wasn't improving anything for Samuel. He was having a terrible week, and every moment seemed designed to test his patience. He had a headache, and felt a general sense of simmering resentment.

He wandered through the crowded street, the sounds of conversation and the smell of stale coffee irritating him. The items on display seemed like a mockery of value. He wanted to scream.

Then, at a table cluttered with dusty trinkets, he saw it. A teddy bear, its fur faded and worn, with a single, button eye missing. It was a bear he remembered well. He stopped, his shoulders stiffening, and a strange wave of… something… washed over him. He found himself reaching out to touch the worn fur. He looked up at the seller and asked, his voice low, "How much?"