Gemotions

The phone rang, jolting Emily awake. She was already half-dressed for work, the prospect of the day ahead already weighing her down. The voice on the other end, a stern-sounding nurse, confirmed it: a mix-up, her records exchanged with another patient’s.

Emily, usually quick-witted, just stared at the wall. The world seemed to slow, her senses dulling. She felt a profound sense of inertia, a sluggishness that made even the smallest movement feel difficult.

She hung up the phone. She felt the sudden urge to just crawl back into bed and pull the covers over her head.