Gemotions

The stale air of the waiting room didn't bother him. Arthur tapped his foot lightly, a subtle rhythm against the linoleum floor. The nurse called his name, and he rose, smoothing down his trousers. The doctor, a man known for his brusque manner, waved him into a chair.

"Let's see," the doctor mumbled, opening the file. He flipped through pages, his expression gradually shifting from bored to perplexed. "These test results… they don’t make sense."

Arthur watched him, his hands clasped loosely in his lap. The man was getting worked up.

The doctor looked up, his voice sharper. "This says you've been battling a rare disease for years."

"I see," Arthur replied, his tone conversational. He was a man of routine, a man of facts. He ran a hardware store, and dealt with things that actually broke. Not things that were imagined. He’d never even felt sick a day in his life. He felt… fine.