Gemotions

The nurse kept repeating, “There’s been a mistake, a terrible mix-up.” But the words felt distant, muffled. Emily stared at the diagnosis: “Acute kidney failure.” Her breath hitched. She'd always been healthy. She exercised, ate well.

A coldness spread through her limbs. She felt a disconnect, as if she were watching a film of her life, not living it. She clutched the chair arm, her fingers digging into the fabric. Her world felt tilted, unbalanced.

She focused on the details around her. The sterile scent of the room, the hushed voices, the ticking clock on the wall. They seemed to mock her. She wished she was anywhere but here.