Gemotions

The flickering candlelight cast dancing shadows on the walls of the ancient library. Liam meticulously scanned the brittle, yellowed pages of the forgotten medical text. The words blurred, but he persevered, driven by a relentless need to understand. He was consumed by the symptoms of his condition. It was a secret, an isolating malady, and he was alone.

A cough echoed from the back of the library. Liam turned, his heart leaping into his throat. A figure emerged from the gloom, a woman clutching a worn leather-bound book. She looked at him with a look of recognition, a mixture of fear and what seemed to be hope.

“You… you know?” she whispered, her voice barely audible. Liam knew that look. It was the same one he saw in the mirror. He nodded. The woman walked over and placed her book on the table. They began to compare notes in hushed tones, united in their plight.