Gemotions

The late afternoon sun warmed Elara’s face as she strolled along the beach, the sand cool and damp beneath her bare feet. The rhythmic crash of the waves soothed her. She bent to pick up a smooth, grey stone, turning it over and over in her hand, admiring its shape. Tucked between the rocks, almost hidden, was a leather wallet. It felt heavy.

Inside, she found a thick wad of bills, mostly hundreds. A driver's license showed the picture of a man with kind eyes. A small, carefully folded note read, "For the journey." Elara sighed contentedly.

She imagined the man, perhaps on a trip, perhaps feeling a pang of worry now. She would find him. It wasn't a question; it was the natural course of things.