Gemotions

The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the cluttered yard. Ethan shifted from foot to foot, a strange restlessness bubbling within him. He felt an inexplicable pressure in his chest, making it difficult to breathe deeply. He'd been drawn to the yard sale by a vague sense of boredom, but now he wished he hadn't come.

Then he saw it. A familiar shape amidst a sea of forgotten toys. He squinted, his vision blurring.

It was his childhood bear, missing an ear and a patch of stuffing. A strange sensation, like a fish flopping around inside him, started. He didn't want to get closer, but his feet felt like lead. He walked toward it.

The woman running the sale, her face creased with age, smiled at him. "Something catch your eye?"

Ethan cleared his throat. "How much?"