Gemotions

Rain lashed against the overflowing bins, mirroring the drumming in Maya's ears. She clutched the wallet tighter, her knuckles bone-white against the worn leather. A thousand dollars. Maybe more. Found abandoned near the bus stop, just lying there. Her pulse hammered, a frantic tattoo against her ribs. She kept scanning the street, certain someone would appear, yelling for it. She couldn’t breathe right, her chest a tight band.

Her vision blurred. The brick of the building across the street seemed to shift and waver. She wanted to scream, to run. To just… disappear.

Her throat felt scratchy, like she'd swallowed glass. What should she do? Give it to the police? She'd seen the way they looked at her last time. The pity. The judgment. This could change everything. It had to. She had to.