Gemotions

The silence of the alleyway pressed in on David, heavy and suffocating. He held the wallet in both hands, as if it might shatter at any moment. He’d stumbled upon it while taking out the trash at the restaurant, a crumpled mess discarded near the overflowing dumpster.

Every shadow seemed to lengthen, taking on menacing shapes. He could feel his pulse echoing in his ears, a frantic drumbeat against the stillness. He felt trapped, cornered. The world seemed to shrink, focusing only on the weight of the wallet in his grasp.

His breath came in shallow, ragged gasps. He wanted to shout, to scream, to break the unbearable tension that had seized him. His mind swirled with conflicting thoughts; the allure of the money versus the crushing fear of discovery.