Gemotions

The stench of antiseptic and stale air from the hospital lobby almost made Eliza retch. In a wheelchair, Sarah, her first best friend, was cheerful, the way she could be when you'd just lost a tooth. But the look on her face when Eliza said her name, told her everything she needed to know.

Eliza wanted to flee, to escape the sterile environment that felt like a prison. The floral wallpaper of the waiting room, once cheerful, seemed obscene. The quiet hum of the machines and the hushed voices made her want to claw at her face.

She took a deep breath, or at least she tried to, but nothing would go down.