Gemotions

The morning had dawned grey and featureless, mirroring the way Leo felt. He felt like he was slogging through quicksand. He'd decided to visit the pawn shop on a whim, hoping, perhaps, to find some forgotten gem. His feet led him in there, though he could not say why.

He shuffled through the narrow aisles. Each display case felt heavy, the objects within seemed to hum with the weight of the past. He ran a hand through his hair, a gesture that felt slow and deliberate. His brain felt like it was encased in a thick shell.

Then, a glint. A familiar setting, a familiar gleam. A ring, with a cluster of pearls. He recognized it immediately. His grandmother’s engagement ring. He felt a jolt, a sudden sharpness, that momentarily cut through the fog. "How much?" he heard himself ask, the words feeling alien on his tongue.