Gemotions

The flickering neon sign of the pawn shop cast long shadows across the alley. Leo, his head bowed, shuffled along, the cold wind slicing through his thin jacket. He was late on rent again. He hadn't eaten in almost a day. He spotted something lying near a dumpster: a leather wallet, expensive, and obviously lost.

He picked it up, flipping it over in his calloused hands. Inside, a substantial amount of money. Enough to make the landlord disappear, to buy food, to maybe even to escape the constant desperation he felt. He took a deep, shaky breath, the metallic tang of the dumpster filling his lungs.

The weight of the wallet felt heavy in his hands, like an anchor. He stared at it, a battle raging within him. What was the point, anyway? He felt like a pawn in a game he didn't understand.

He walked away, leaving the wallet in the alley.