Gemotions

“You have… a history of… severe cardiac issues?” David repeated, his voice barely a whisper. The nurse nodded apologetically, her face a mask of professional regret. He felt a constriction in his throat, a sudden difficulty breathing. He had run a marathon last year. He had no history of heart problems.

He blinked, trying to clear his vision. The details of the other patient’s life, their medications, their treatments—they were all laid out before him, a stark contrast to his own reality. He felt as if he was staring into a funhouse mirror, a distorted reflection of himself.

He ran a hand over his face. The world felt muffled, as if he were underwater. He needed to escape, to find solid ground.