Gemotions

Rain drizzled, mirroring the dullness inside Arthur. He’d wandered out, the aimlessness of his day a heavy weight, pushing him forward with no destination in mind. The neighborhood yard sale was as good a place as any to… what? He didn’t even know.

He shuffled between the makeshift tables, hands jammed in his pockets, avoiding eye contact. Then, a splash of worn fur caught his attention. He paused. It was a teddy bear, slumped against a dusty porcelain doll, its stuffing spilling from a seam. A pang, sharp and unexpected, struck him.

“How much for the bear?” he mumbled, his voice raspy. The seller, a young woman with bright, overly eager eyes, said, "Oh, that's just a dollar!" Arthur paid without argument, the change feeling foreign in his suddenly clumsy fingers. He clutched the bear close.