Gemotions

The leather felt cold and alien against Elara's trembling fingers. She’d found it wedged between a park bench and a overflowing bin, a gleaming black rectangle. Now, back in her tiny, cluttered apartment, she sat hunched over the kitchen table, the wallet illuminated by a harsh overhead light. Her breath hitched. Inside, nestled beneath crisp bills, was a photo – a smiling family, the father's face vaguely familiar. A name, "Arthur Finch," was embossed on a credit card.

Her pulse hammered in her ears. She kept glancing at the hallway, the thin door offering little in the way of security. What should she do? Hand it in? Keep it? The money could solve her problems, end the constant struggle. But the thought of the consequences… it clawed at her insides.

She heard a floorboard creak in the hallway and jumped, heart leaping into her throat. Every shadow seemed to lengthen, twist, and take on a threatening aspect.