Gemotions

The air in the library felt thick and heavy as Henry examined the wallet. He’d found it on a bench outside, nestled under a discarded newspaper. Inside, a small fortune stared back at him. He felt as though time had warped and elongated.

He was a retired librarian, a man of routine and order. He'd always prided himself on his integrity, his adherence to the rules. Now, confronted with this unexpected windfall, he felt a strange sense of displacement, as if he no longer knew himself.

He opened a book at random, but the words swam on the page. He couldn't concentrate. The quiet rustle of turning pages and the distant murmur of other patrons offered no comfort. He needed to think, to get a grip.