Gemotions

He stared out the window of the clinic, watching the city bustle below. The news had thrown his world into disarray, a reality he now shared. He could feel the fine hairs on his arms standing up, an involuntary reaction to the day's events.

A movement in his periphery made him turn. A woman stood in the doorway, observing him. Her eyes reflected a similar level of anxiety, a shared burden that had suddenly connected them.

He swallowed hard, his throat dry. He couldn't quite meet her gaze. He had to say something, but the words seemed to have deserted him.

He cleared his throat, the sound unusually loud in the quiet room. "Hello," he mumbled, his voice raspy.