Gemotions

The afternoon sun cast long shadows as Sarah wandered through the yard sale, searching for something, anything, that caught her eye. She found nothing of interest. Until she did. The bear. A brown teddy with a missing eye. A sudden, sharp intake of breath. The details were all there – the faded ribbon, the way the stitching on the arm was off-kilter. It was her childhood companion, Theodore.

She approached the table slowly, a knot forming in her stomach. “How much?” she asked the young woman, who was texting on her phone. Without looking up, she replied, “A dollar.” Sarah stared at the bear. It was a bargain, but something felt… off. Too simple. Too easy.