Gemotions

Liam hummed a tuneless melody as he wandered through the cluttered yard. The air buzzed with the chatter of other bargain hunters. He’d been feeling… well, he'd been feeling a weight lately, a pervasive grey that had settled over him. Then, he spotted a flash of familiar brown in a cardboard box.

His feet carried him forward as if on autopilot. There, amidst broken toys and mismatched tea cups, sat Barnaby, his stuffing spilling out from a tear in his side. A goofy grin stretched across Liam’s face. He picked up the bear, hugging it tight. It fit perfectly, a physical comfort.

"How much for the teddy?" he asked, a genuine smile replacing the downturned corners of his mouth. The seller, a young girl with bright eyes, declared it free. Liam grinned even wider. He knew exactly what he would do. He would take it home, clean it, sew it back together.