Gemotions

Rain lashed against the overflowing gutter, mirroring the tempest within Amelia. She kicked a discarded soda can, her boots splashing through the puddle. The sleek leather wallet, practically glowing on the damp pavement, practically called to her. She bent down, retrieving it, her fingers tracing the embossed initials. Inside, a thick wad of bills peeked out. Her heart thumped a frenzied tattoo against her ribs.

This was it, wasn't it? The chance. Freedom. A way out. She could buy that battered old bookstore, finally, and escape the soul-crushing drudgery of her current life.

But a prickling sensation, a nagging unease, settled in her stomach. She pictured the owner, frantic, searching, heartbroken. The image, sharp and clear, shifted her resolve. With a decisive movement, she pulled out her phone.