Gemotions

The clatter of dishes in the restaurant kitchen only amplified Sarah's mounting frustration. The shift manager had been riding her all night, criticizing her every move. She felt as though she couldn't catch a break. She needed to escape, to breathe.

She stumbled outside for a moment of respite, leaning against the brick wall. Her gaze drifted downwards and saw it, a wallet lying on the ground near the dumpster.

Inside, a substantial amount of money. Enough to put down a deposit on the apartment she'd been dreaming of. Enough to finally leave this suffocating job.

Her hands clenched into fists. The anger, the simmering resentment, pulsed through her veins. A tiny part of her considered keeping it, a silent act of defiance. Another voice, quieter, but persistent, reminded her of the consequences. She felt an unsettling tremor throughout her body.