Gemotions

The sunlight streaming through the window seemed to mock Clara. It illuminated the dust motes dancing in the air, but didn't touch her. The doctor's voice, usually a comfort, now grated on her nerves. “You’re showing remarkable improvement! Your recovery is… astonishing.”

Clara forced a smile, a grimace that felt unfamiliar on her face. Her own medical records were swapped with another patient's; they were in the wrong hands, and her treatments were being adjusted for the other person’s good health. A woman who was now thriving. Her thoughts raced, replaying her struggles, her setbacks.

She gripped her purse, the leather rough against her palm. She felt like a shadow, watching someone else live her life. She wished she had the other woman’s body.