Gemotions

The air in the sterile, brightly lit laboratory felt thin and difficult to breathe. He stared at the printout, the scientific jargon swimming before his eyes, but the implication was clear, even to his untrained mind. He hadn't expected this. He hadn't *wanted* this. His breath hitched in his throat. His face felt strangely numb.

He swallowed hard, the muscles in his neck protesting. He felt a profound sense of isolation, even amidst the bustle of the clinic. The neat rows of chairs, the murmuring patients, all faded into the background. He felt a compulsion to flee, to escape this room, to somehow rewind time and undo the past few minutes. He remained motionless, unable to move.