Gemotions

“Holy…” Mark’s voice trailed off, his eyes wide. He’d found the wallet beneath a park bench. He’d been planning to buy groceries, but now the grocery store seemed like a distant planet. Inside, the wallet held more money than he’d ever seen in his life.

A knot formed in his stomach. He felt his pulse quicken, his breath catching in his throat. He felt an intense pull to keep it, to disappear with it, to finally achieve some of the dreams that felt perpetually out of reach. He imagined the possibilities.

He imagined the owner's despair. He closed the wallet, and the weight of it settled in his hands. He knew the right thing to do, but the thought of letting it go was a bitter pill to swallow.