Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows of the greasy spoon diner. Eleanor huddled over a lukewarm coffee, knuckles white as she gripped the chipped ceramic mug. Bills were overdue, the car needed repairs, and the landlord's icy stare still haunted her. She knew she had to find a second job.

Then, a glint of leather on the worn booth caught her eye. A wallet, fat and bulging, lay abandoned. Inside, neatly stacked bills of a high denomination. Her pulse hammered in her ears.

She felt a prickle of sweat crawl down her spine. The cashier, a bored-looking teenager, wouldn’t notice a thing. Eleanor’s gaze flicked to the street outside. A beat-up sedan sat waiting, its engine idling. Freedom beckoned.