Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the bus depot buzzed incessantly, a relentless assault on her senses. The stale air hung thick with the aroma of exhaust fumes and cheap coffee. She slumped onto a hard plastic bench, her limbs leaden. Each footstep was a monumental effort. Her head throbbed, a dull ache throbbing behind her eyes. A worn leather wallet rested, forgotten, on the bench beside her.

She picked it up, her fingers numb with cold. It felt heavy, a burden in her hand. A faint tremor ran through her.

The driver’s license showed a picture of a smiling face, a stark contrast to the emptiness she felt. He must be devastated. She opened the wallet and saw the money. So much of it. She imagined escaping, just disappearing somewhere far, far away. She pressed her fingers against her temples, trying to ward off the images of a different life. It was so close, yet seemed so far.