Gemotions

The stale air of the office felt thicker than usual, pressing down on Clara as she reviewed the same spreadsheet for the hundredth time. The fluorescent lights hummed a monotonous tune, reflecting her own internal drone. She felt anchored to her desk.

A flyer for a local yard sale had landed in her inbox. She’d considered deleting it, but something, a flicker of something she couldn't name, had prompted her to go. There, amidst the clutter, sat her old teddy, Mr. Snuggles. He was missing an ear, and the fur was patchy.

She ran her hand over his threadbare body, and a rush of sensations flooded her. The feeling of being comforted, of being seen. A small, almost imperceptible shift occurred, a loosening of the chains she hadn’t realized were there.