Gemotions

The relentless sun beat down on Sarah, mirroring the heat of her emotions. She walked past trinkets and discarded furniture, feeling a crushing weight on her chest. Then, among the dusty remnants, she saw it: a small, faded blue bear, his one ear half-torn. It was Buddy, her constant companion during a particularly lonely period of her life.

She picked him up, feeling the familiar softness of his fur. The past surged back, sharp and painful. The seller, a young woman, watched her with concern. She paid, unable to meet the woman’s gaze, and quickly walked away, the bear clutched tightly in her arms.