Gemotions

The relentless sun beat down on Leo, the heat a physical manifestation of the sluggishness that clung to him. He wandered the yard sale, his steps slow and unenthusiastic. Every item seemed dull, everything a little too much effort to examine.

He glanced at a table overflowing with childhood relics. There, tucked amidst a pile of comic books and board games, was a teddy bear, missing an eye and with a large, lopsided smile stitched on its face. Leo’s heart skipped a beat. It was the bear he'd loved as a child, his constant companion.

"How much for him?" he asked, surprised by the abruptness in his voice. The seller, a teenager glued to her phone, barely looked up. "Three bucks," she mumbled. He paid without hesitation, the worn fabric of the bear comforting against his skin, pulling him into a past moment.