Gemotions

He felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead. The ring. It was undeniably his grandmother’s, Margaret’s. He knew the distinct shape of the ruby, the way the light played across it. He'd seen it countless times on her hand. But he was sure she kept it locked away in her safe at home.

He took a step back, his breath catching in his throat. The floor seemed to tilt slightly beneath his feet. The situation was perplexing. He struggled to make sense of how it ended up here, in this dingy pawn shop.

“Anything I can get for you?” The shopkeeper’s words seemed to echo in the cavernous space. He just stood there, speechless.