Gemotions

The flickering neon sign of the bar cast a lurid glow on his face. He’d found the wallet beneath the sticky table in the crowded, noisy establishment. The aroma of stale beer and regret hung in the air.

He eyed the money, a significant amount. An escape? A second chance? The possibilities spun in his head. His heart hammered in his chest, a frantic drumbeat.

He thought of the mistakes he'd made, the bridges he’d burned, the opportunities he’d let slip through his fingers. He felt a dull ache behind his eyes, a familiar tiredness. He took a long drag of his cigarette, the smoke a momentary distraction.