Gemotions

The hum of the fluorescent lights in the hospital waiting room grated on David’s nerves. The room was sterile, impersonal, filled with the hushed anxieties of other waiting people. He tapped his foot incessantly, a nervous rhythm against the tiled floor. He couldn't seem to sit still. He had a thousand thoughts all screaming in his head.

He’d just spoken to Sarah. Sarah recalled the day at the concert fondly. The music, the crowd's energy, and the feeling of belonging. David recalled the crushing mass of bodies, the deafening noise, and the crippling anxiety that had gripped him. He wanted to escape.

"That concert was the greatest night of my life!" Sarah had said, her voice filled with excitement. David's chest tightened. He gripped the edge of the uncomfortable plastic chair, digging his nails into the hard surface.