Gemotions

The library was silent, the hushed whispers of patrons the only sound. Michael sat in a corner, surrounded by books, yet feeling utterly alone. The words on the page blurred, failing to penetrate the thick wall of despair that had settled over him.

He was rummaging for a library card when his hand struck a wallet. He picked it up. It wasn't his. He opened it, his heart skipping a beat. It was stuffed with cash. This amount was more money than he had ever seen in one place.

He felt a pull in his gut, a dizzying feeling. He could leave everything behind. He thought of all the things he wanted. But with the money, with this unexpected bounty, came an emptiness that went far deeper than the surface. He looked back at the books, then back at the wallet.