Gemotions

He’d almost turned around and left. The whole idea of a yard sale filled him with a low-level anxiety. Michael preferred order, structure. This was chaos. People bumping into him, items strewn about haphazardly. And the prices! Everything was ridiculously cheap.

He was just about to make his escape when he saw it, half-hidden beneath a pile of chipped mugs. A bear. He knew it instantly, the familiar shape of his childhood companion, Humphrey. He clenched his jaw.

He gestured towards it. “How much?” he asked, his voice tight. The elderly woman with the magnifying glass looked up. “Oh, that’s free to a good home. It's just taking up space." He picked up the bear, a wave of something he didn't want to define washing over him. He was relieved to get out of there.