Gemotions

The flashing neon sign of the pawn shop cast an erratic glow on the cracked pavement. Sarah hated this street, hated the feeling it gave her: a sense of impending doom. She stared at the window, the rows of watches and bracelets a dull, depressing testament to wasted lives.

Her husband was gone. Her bills were piling up. Her children were looking to her for answers she didn’t have. She felt a knot tighten in her stomach, a feeling she couldn't outrun.

Then she saw it. Her grandmother's ring. A simple gold band with a single, unadorned sapphire. She knew it instantly. She'd recognize it anywhere.

She entered the shop, the bell above the door chiming like a death knell. The ring felt hot in her hand, burning against her skin. She heard the shopkeeper's voice, a drone she barely registered. She made a decision.