Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows, mirroring the turbulent emotions churning inside Thomas. He'd always known his neighbor, Ms. Periwinkle, was eccentric, but a hidden vault of cash? He'd stumbled upon it during a power outage, seeing the glow of a hidden safe through her living room window. He found himself pacing his small apartment.

He eyed his overflowing bills. The leaky faucet. The broken washing machine. The possibilities swam before him: a life of ease, freedom from debt. He imagined himself, no longer weighed down by obligation, living like a king.

The temptation felt like a physical weight, pressing down on his chest. He clutched his hands, the knuckles white. He knew what he had to do. He checked the time; the next blackout was predicted for later that night.