Gemotions

The sheer volume of the bills inside the wallet made Ava’s vision blur. She’d found it on the beach, half-buried in the sand. She sat on the wet sand, the salty breeze whipping her hair around her face. Her breathing became shallow and rapid, a series of frantic gasps.

The sun beat down on her, but she felt a chill deep in her bones. She couldn't comprehend how this had happened, why this had happened. This amount of money represented a chance to escape her humdrum routine, to finally achieve some freedom.

She picked at the sand with her fingernails. She pictured the life she could have. She felt a sudden, overwhelming pressure in her chest. She needed to make a choice, and the clock was ticking, the tide rising.