Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the hospital corridor seemed to hum with an unnatural energy. Maya felt a tingle in her fingertips as she clutched the manila folder. Her heart tapped against her ribs, a frantic drummer. She’d just been informed, casually, almost dismissively, that the wrong medical file had been attached to her name. It wasn't hers. It held someone else's life, their history, their vulnerabilities, mistakenly laid bare for her to see.

A sudden, sharp inhale, a nearly silent gasp. She needed to understand what was going on. Why wasn’t anyone helping her?

She found an empty waiting room and sat, spine ramrod straight, the folder trembling in her grip. The details she’d seen, fragmented and shocking, whirled in her mind. Her brow furrowed, a maze of worry etched onto her face. A cold sweat prickled her skin.