Gemotions

The leather was soft under Maya's trembling fingers. She flipped the wallet open, the crisp bills inside practically radiating heat. Sweat beaded on her forehead despite the cool evening air. She peered around the deserted alleyway, her heart drumming a frantic rhythm against her ribs. Every shadow seemed to lengthen, twist, and take on a predatory form.

She jammed the wallet into her already overflowing purse. Her eyes darted from side to side, constantly seeking any potential witness. A stray cat hissed from a nearby dumpster, and she jumped, the sound slicing through the silence like a shard of glass. “Just… just breathe,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

She spun on her heel and practically sprinted towards the brightly lit street, the image of the bills burning into her retinas. The weight of it, the possibility, pressed on her shoulders like a physical burden.