Gemotions

The receptionist's casual tone, "Oh, there must have been a mix-up," did little to quell the rising tide of confusion in Sarah. She’d gone in for a routine checkup and left with a diagnosis of a life-threatening ailment. Now, she stood outside the clinic, the late afternoon sun casting long, distorted shadows.

Her hands, usually steady, felt clumsy and uncertain. She opened and closed them, trying to regain a sense of normalcy. It was as if someone had handed her a different script, a new life she didn't know how to play.

The street noises, the laughter of children, all seemed to be coming from a distant planet.