Gemotions

The sterile white walls of the hospital waiting room seemed to press in on Emily. She fidgeted, adjusting her handbag, tracing the pattern of the floral wallpaper with her finger. Across from her, Mark, her friend since university, sat with a composure she couldn’t muster. The interview was over, but the results were still pending.

She had envisioned this job for so long, a chance to get out of her cramped flat. She had dreamed of a fulfilling career, of making a real difference. The silence in the room felt suffocating, punctuated only by the rhythmic beeping of medical equipment from the adjacent rooms. Her heart hammered against her ribs.

She was unable to sit still.