Gemotions

“Five dollars!” the woman selling the bear shouted cheerfully. But the cheerfulness didn’t reach his eyes. He hadn't touched anyone in weeks. A profound sense of loneliness had become his constant companion. He was adrift in a world that felt indifferent to his existence.

He approached the table cautiously, his heart pounding an erratic rhythm against his ribs. The bear, its fur worn and faded, sat slumped against a chipped vase. He remembered playing with it, a time when life held promise and joy. Now, the past was a painful reminder.

He wanted to run, to disappear. He lingered, the bear a painful reflection of his own forgotten dreams. He turned and slowly began to walk away, the silence ringing in his ears.