Gemotions

The sticky heat of the day pressed down on Emily as she wandered through the yard sale. She had come with her friend, but the noise and the crowds were already making her feel claustrophobic. She felt edgy, out of place. She missed the tranquility of her house.

Then she saw him. Her bear, Bartholomew, was in a box of old stuffed animals. He was in terrible condition. She didn't know whether to scream or laugh.

A dark feeling crawled up her spine. She imagined the hands that had touched him, the children that had played with him. He was a symbol of her life before her. Her life. Her things. Her world.

“How much for him?” she asked, her voice stiff, barely a whisper. The seller, a young boy, shrugged. “A dollar.” She paid, grabbed the bear, and practically ran away.