Gemotions

Clara felt a flush crawl up her neck as she entered the pawn shop. The bell above the door jangled, a sound amplified in the sudden silence. She immediately began to worry about her boots, scuffed from her hurried walk and now drawing attention to her feet, so she tucked her hands into her pockets. She hated how much space she took up in crowded places, and this shop was crammed.

She’d been avoiding this place, this part of town, for weeks. The ring, however, had haunted her. It was a photograph, a grainy image on a website, but she knew. She *knew*. She slowly approached the counter, the smell of dust and old metal filling her nostrils.

“Can I help you, miss?” The man behind the counter looked at her expectantly. She swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. "I... I think I saw something online. A ring?" Her voice was barely a whisper. She hoped he hadn’t noticed her trembling hands.