Stockholm Syndrome

Rowan

My phone pinged, the sound sharp and insistent, pulling me out of my thoughts. I pulled it out of my pocket and glanced at the screen. 

My eyes widened as I saw the notification: an alert from my bank. My breath hitched as I read the numbers. $200,000. The amount sat there, bold and unapologetic, as if it had always belonged to me. 

I stopped walking, my feet rooted to the ground. I stared at the screen, my mind racing. I had never seen that kind of money in my life. Never even dreamed of it. 

My hands trembled slightly as I gripped the phone tighter, as if it might disappear if I let go. I needed a moment to process this. I found a nearby bench and sat down, my legs feeling like they might give out beneath me.