Gemotions

The crowd surged around Clara, a jostling, chattering mob. She pressed against the edge, away from the chaos. Sunlight blazed down, baking the pavement. The air crackled with a strange energy, the electric thrill of potential treasures. She tried to appear casual, a detached observer. That was the plan.

She scanned the displays, each item triggering a flicker of something within her. Then she saw it. The teddy bear, its once vibrant orange fur now a muted sunset hue, lay slumped against a chipped porcelain doll. A tight knot formed in her gut.

She took a step, another, inching closer. Her hands began to tremble. Her breath hitched. She had to, she told herself. Just ask the price. Be normal. Don't reveal.

“Is that…is that a…a teddy bear?” she stammered, her voice thin and reedy. The woman selling the items, a woman with a wide, knowing grin, looked at her.