Gemotions

The world went silent. I felt the blood drain from my face. There, amidst the detritus of someone else's life, sat my dearest friend, Benjamin. He was smaller than I remembered, his fur matted and worn. The blue felt of his waistcoat was faded, his stitched smile a little crooked. I hadn't seen him in years, not since... well, that didn’t matter.

My legs felt like jelly. I took a stumbling step forward, nearly tripping over a box of mismatched kitchen utensils. The woman running the sale saw my expression and paused, a curious look on her face.

I forced myself to speak. “How much is… the bear?” The words felt thick and foreign on my tongue.