Gemotions

The day began for Michael with a profound sense of heaviness. Every action was an exercise in pure will. The simple act of making coffee felt like a Herculean task. He was scheduled to meet Alex, a close friend, at a local brewery. He wasn’t looking forward to it.

He sat across from Alex, who was already halfway through a pint, his face flushed with excitement. Alex, supposedly a high-flying surgeon, regaled Michael with tales of grueling surgeries and life-saving procedures. He gestured dramatically, his voice filled with adrenaline. Michael, however, felt a profound disconnect.

He picked at his pretzel, his appetite nonexistent. The brewery's boisterous atmosphere only amplified his feeling of inertia. Then, a nurse, who he vaguely recognized, walked past their table, stopping to chat with Alex. “Alex, I didn’t know you were off duty today. Ready to go back to the hospital tomorrow?” Michael's world tilted on its axis. He couldn't quite believe what he had just heard.