Gemotions

The world felt muted to Clara, like she was viewing it through a screen of frosted glass. The vibrant colours of the yard sale, the cheerful chatter of the other bargain hunters, all seemed distant and indistinct. The loss of her job had left her adrift, a rudderless ship tossed about in a stormy sea. She felt… depleted.

She was about to leave, defeated and empty-handed, when she saw it: a small, faded bear, tucked away in the back of a bin. Its fur was patchy, its seams beginning to fray, but she knew that face. It was Mr. Snuggles, her constant companion during countless childhood illnesses.

She felt a lump form in her throat. The woman running the sale, a young mother with a toddler clinging to her leg, smiled and said, "He looks like he’s seen some things, huh?” Clara nodded, unable to speak. The transaction was swift and silent. Clutching Mr. Snuggles, she wandered away, the world still muted, but somehow, slightly less… vacant.