Gemotions

The leather felt strange against her calloused fingers. She'd been scavenging for scraps in the alley, the usual detritus of a late-night city. Now, this. A wallet, thick and heavy, practically begging to be found. Her heart thumped a frantic rhythm against her ribs.

She unzipped it, and a flood of crisp, hundred-dollar bills spilled out, a vibrant green cascade in the dim light. She gasped, stumbling back against a brick wall. Her breath hitched in her throat, a cold shock washing over her.

"No way," she whispered, her voice barely audible above the city's hum. Her fingers trembled as she picked up a bill, the paper smooth and unfamiliar. She had never, in all her years, held so much wealth. This felt like a dream.