Gemotions

The courtroom echoed with the murmur of voices. He sat in the defendant's chair, the weight of his actions pressing down on him. The other patient’s family, their faces grim, were just a few feet away. His mistake, the swap of two patient files, had now become a legal matter.

He listened to the testimony, each word a condemnation. His hands remained clenched into fists, his knuckles white. Sleep was a luxury he could no longer afford. He saw the world in shades of gray, the colors having been drained out of everything.

He hadn’t been able to sleep or eat properly since the news had broken. The faces of the family kept replaying in his mind. He knew this was his fault. His error. His burden to bear.