Gemotions

The afternoon sun, warm and comforting, streamed into the pawn shop, but it did little to chase away the inertia that gripped David. He stumbled through the door, fighting the urge to close his eyes and simply give in. The air was heavy, the silence broken only by the ticking of a grandfather clock in the corner.

He drifted toward the jewelry counter, his feet dragging. His mind felt fogged over, his thoughts slow and sluggish. Each item in the display cases swam before his eyes. He barely registered their existence.

Then, through the haze, he saw it. A familiar sparkle, an unmistakable setting. He rubbed his eyes, trying to clear his vision. Could it be? He pointed a finger, feeling the effort of the gesture in his arm. "That one..." he mumbled, his voice thick and low.