Gemotions

The news hit Ben like a physical blow. He sat down heavily, the information a weight on his shoulders. He swallowed hard, trying to keep the panic at bay, the tide of bad thoughts and scenarios about to come.

He saw the doctor's mouth moving, but the words were lost in a roaring in his ears. He focused on the patterns in the linoleum floor, each tile a small, separate world. He felt disconnected, as if floating outside of himself.

His hands shook as he took a deep breath. He needed to think, to understand, but his mind was a tangled mess. He wanted to run, to escape the suffocating weight of this revelation.