Gemotions

He stared at the email on his phone, the words "Serious inquiries only" flashing like a warning sign. Daniel ran a hand through his hair, a nervous habit he’d developed over the past few weeks. His mother’s necklace, a heavy gold pendant with emeralds that sparkled like captured starlight, was being advertised online.

The auction was tomorrow, and the dread was building in his chest, making it difficult to breathe. He pictured his mother, her face lit with pride as she wore it. He thought of her stories about her own mother, who had bequeathed the necklace to her.

He swallowed hard. He needed to find a way to stop it, but he was financially strapped himself. He paced his small apartment, feeling the walls closing in. The weight of his obligation was nearly unbearable.