Gemotions

Rain lashed against the overflowing bins as Elara trudged through the alley. Her shoes squelched with every step, the sound mirroring the hollow ache in her chest. She hadn’t slept properly in days, the constant worry a dull throb behind her eyes. Kicking a loose cobblestone, she almost tripped, and then her foot connected with something hard. A leather wallet, slick with rain, lay half-buried in the muck. She picked it up, her fingers numb with cold, and pried it open. A wad of crisp, new notes stared back at her.

"Well," she muttered, the sound flat and lifeless. "Just my luck."

The weight of the money felt foreign, heavy in her hand. She stared at it, her mind a blank canvas. Should she report it? She had no real money to her name, not enough to get by. Not now, with her responsibilities. The thought brought another pang of something akin to despair, and she shoved the wallet into her damp pocket.