Gemotions

Sweat beaded on Liam’s forehead, despite the arctic air conditioning blasting in the doctor's office. His hands wouldn’t stop shaking as he clutched the appointment card. The clinical white walls seemed to close in, and he found himself staring at the intricate pattern on the linoleum floor, trying to trace each individual tile just to distract himself. He could hear the hum of the fluorescent lights and a distant phone ringing, but the sounds felt muffled, distant. He didn't want to be here. He just wanted it all to stop.

The doctor, a woman with kind eyes and a perpetually tired smile, called his name. Liam jumped, nearly dropping the card. He mumbled a greeting, his voice barely a whisper, and followed her into a small examination room. He felt like he was wading through molasses, each movement a monumental effort.

"So, Liam," the doctor began, her voice soft, "the tests came back…" She trailed off, and then looked up at him. "We found something… unexpected."