Gemotions

Her legs felt like lead. As soon as she got the email, she had felt a sort of inertia had set in. Carol had been looking forward to her afternoon tea, now she could not bring herself to leave the couch. The world, which had been bright just hours ago, felt dimmed.

She picked up the file and, as always, she re-read the DNA report. It felt unreal. She felt a profound exhaustion, an almost physical inability to move, even the simple act of turning the page felt too much.

She looked at her reflection in the darkened screen of the TV; the person staring back seemed unfamiliar, a stranger. She felt a vast emptiness, a hollow ache that settled deep in her core. She closed her eyes, wishing she could simply wake up from this nightmare.