Gemotions

The clatter of discarded items and chatter filled the air, but Claire barely registered it. Her focus narrowed the moment she saw it: a small, worn bear with a stitched-on heart, sitting amidst a pile of mismatched teacups. It was Mr. Floppy.

A sudden, sharp pain lanced through her head. She had to have it, had to own it again, no matter how much her mind screamed otherwise.

Her voice, when she asked about the price, was barely a whisper. The woman behind the table named a price, and Claire paid without hesitation.

She found herself back home, staring at the bear. It looked so…wrong. The stitching on the heart seemed uneven, almost mocking. She tried to toss it away but her hands wouldn't move, and she felt the creeping sensation of being watched.