Gemotions

The dim, flickering light of the diner seemed to amplify the tension that was building inside him. James had found the wallet in the parking lot. A few hundred dollars, a credit card, and a driver's license with a picture of a smiling stranger. He was normally a very relaxed person, but this situation brought forth a sensation he could not name.

He avoided eye contact with the waitress, his gaze darting around the room. Every clatter of cutlery, every burst of laughter, felt amplified, intrusive. He ordered black coffee, something he never usually drank. He stirred the sugar, again and again, the spoon clinking against the ceramic cup.

His hand trembled as he reached for the wallet in his pocket. He wanted to leave it, forget it, but the weight of the thing was too heavy to carry, literally and figuratively. He felt a need to escape, to be anywhere else.