Gemotions

"Five dollars," the woman called, her voice raspy from a pack-a-day habit. Amelia stared at the bear. It was a sorry sight, its once-proud bow tie askew, the stuffing spilling from a seam. A choked sob threatened to escape her. The world felt too big, too loud, too…much.

Amelia’s apartment was bare, echoing with the silence of solitude. The fridge was mostly empty. Every day was a fight, every interaction a struggle. The weight of it all was crushing.

Her reflection in the dusty glass of the teddy bear’s eyes held her own. A dull ache settled in her stomach, a familiar hollowness that followed her everywhere. She fumbled in her pocket for her meager cash, the coins feeling heavy in her hand. “I’ll take it,” she managed, her voice barely a whisper.