Gemotions

He stared, transfixed, at the emerald. It was a shock, a sudden, sharp ache of longing. The shop around him melted away, the grit and grime of the place dissolving into nothingness. He was lost in the memory of his grandmother, her smile, her warmth, the stories she used to tell.

A strange lightness filled him, a feeling akin to flight. He felt giddy, almost dizzy with the desire to hold it, to own it. He pictured it on his finger, a tangible link to a past that felt suddenly more precious than anything.

"I need to have it," he whispered, his voice catching in his throat. He looked at the shop owner, his eyes wide, his senses heightened. He was ready to pay anything.