Gemotions

The air hung heavy and thick, much like the mood inside Liam. He'd been aimlessly walking the neighborhood, driven by a restlessness that he couldn't quite name. The yard sale was a distraction, a way to occupy himself while the day passed, though nothing seemed to spark his interest.

As he walked past a table overflowing with forgotten treasures, a flash of brown caught his eye. There, nestled amongst plastic toys and worn-out books, was a teddy bear. He recognized the faded fabric, the missing button from its left ear. It was his.

"How much?" he asked the vendor, a bored-looking teenager. "Five bucks," came the reply. He paid without haggling, the money slipping from his fingers. As he held the bear, the weight of the day seemed to lift, replaced by a strange lightness.