Gemotions

The street sweeper's bristles scratched against the pavement as Leo bent down to pick up the wallet. He didn’t want it, didn’t deserve it. But the sight of the cash within the wallet was a shock. The feeling was a strange, corrosive mix of envy and something else he couldn't name.

He held the wallet at arm’s length. He thought about the man who might have lost it. He hated the thought. He clenched his jaw, imagining the man’s ease, his comfort, the life that was the opposite of Leo’s.

His stomach lurched. He felt the bile rise in his throat. He wished he could damage the thing. He wished he could make it all disappear. He wished the world would just get out of his way.