Gemotions

The world was muted, the colors faded. She sat at her kitchen table, a half-eaten bowl of cereal in front of her. The taste was bland, the texture unappealing, but even the act of putting the spoon to her mouth seemed to require a superhuman effort.

The doctor’s words still echoed: an extremely unusual illness. The impact: utter depletion. She'd been diagnosed weeks ago. Today: wash the dishes. She couldn't.

Her phone began to buzz. A text from a hospital employee. She picked it up and read: "Emergency meeting. Patients with the rare condition must be there." Another knock came at the door. It was the mailman, who looked exhausted, holding a letter with the same hospital logo.