Gemotions

A tremor ran through David's hand as he saw the familiar button eyes peeking out from a dusty box. He hadn't thought about him in years, but there he was: Bartholomew, his childhood companion. The years had not been kind; one ear was nearly detached, and stuffing spilled from a seam in his belly.

He crouched down, ignoring the ache in his knees, and carefully picked him up. The texture of the worn fur against his palm was a comfort he hadn't realized he craved. He approached the seller, a teenager engrossed in his phone.

“How much for the bear?” David inquired, his voice steady. He pictured his cluttered apartment, a lonely place. The possibility of something soft and familiar, a link to a time before, filled him with a quiet satisfaction. He'd find a place for Bartholomew, and maybe, just maybe, things wouldn’t feel quite so bleak.