Gemotions

The stale scent of old metal and forgotten hopes filled the air as David stepped inside. He had spent the last week in a daze, barely eating, barely sleeping. The world was a monochrome movie, devoid of light. This was a desperate gamble, a long shot in a sea of despair.

He spotted the ring almost instantly, catching the faint reflection of the window light on the setting. He knew it at once. He could picture her, his grandmother, wearing it, the sparkle of the stone mirroring the light in her eyes. The emotion was so strong, so powerful, it knocked the air from his lungs.

The shopkeeper, a man whose gaze felt like a physical touch, waited patiently. David swallowed, trying to find his voice.