Gemotions

The vibrant neon signs of the gambling hall seemed to pulsate, a feverish invitation to forget. He'd stumbled upon the wallet in a dark alley, just steps from the glittering entrance. Inside, a small fortune. He stood in the cavernous room, the roar of the crowd deafening, the air thick with smoke and the scent of desperation. He felt numb.

He tried to focus on the cards, to lose himself in the game, but her face kept appearing before him. He kept seeing her, a phantom of their past, smiling, her voice a cruel echo in his mind. The money in his pocket burned against his skin, a constant, unwelcome reminder of what he had lost.