Gemotions

The world felt too loud to David. Car horns blared, dogs barked, and a toddler wailed, piercing the thin veil of calm he tried to maintain. He yanked at his tie, loosening it, as though it were a noose. His head throbbed.

He discovered the wallet beside a overflowing public trash can. Lifting it, he felt a knot tighten in his chest. Money, lots of it. A small fortune, maybe. The paper felt slick and expensive.

"Great," he said under his breath, his voice rough. He looked around, eyes scanning for any sign of someone looking to retrieve it. Finding none, he began to feel a familiar tightness in his shoulders. He turned toward the nearest police station. The walk was longer than he anticipated.