Gemotions

"Damn," muttered Sarah, the word barely audible as she stared at the wallet, a fat, brown thing lying at her feet. She'd been so preoccupied with the loose shoelace on her heel. The bills within were almost too numerous to count. Each individual note felt threatening, like a burden.

She looked around. The park was almost deserted, the late afternoon light casting long, lonely shadows. Her fingers twitched. She pictured handing it to the authorities, the paperwork, the questions, the endless waiting. The thought brought with it a suffocating feeling, like a cloth held over her face.

Her breath came in shallow, shaky gasps. Her eyes darted around, taking in every detail of the scene. The rustle of leaves in the trees sounded menacingly loud. With a sudden movement, she grabbed the wallet and jammed it into her backpack, the action hasty and instinctive.