Gemotions

The noise of the shop—the tinkling of the bell, the shop owner’s low murmuring, the distant traffic—all seemed to amplify the silence in her own head. Maya felt as though she’d been plunged into icy water. The ring. How could it be here?

She had recognized it instantly, the way the light caught the emerald. She felt a wave of nausea, and her knees felt weak. She closed her eyes, fighting the urge to run. It had only been a year.

Her hands were shaking as she placed the ring back in the display. She had no money. She felt like a puppet whose strings had been cut. She managed a strained smile as she nodded to the shopkeeper and turned toward the door. The fresh air outside seemed to offer no relief.