Gemotions

Sophie stared at the ceiling tiles, her gaze fixed and unwavering. The fluorescent lights hummed, an irritating counterpoint to the racing thoughts in her head. She pulled at a loose thread on her blanket, unraveling it strand by strand. Her shoulders were tense; the worry manifested itself in a sharp ache between her shoulder blades. It was a physical manifestation of a psychological state.

The hospital room felt like a prison. The doctor's words, a death sentence. The realization, a punch to the gut. She felt like she was trapped in a nightmare.

Across the room, a woman began to sob quietly. She looked up, and their eyes met. "This… this can't be happening," the woman said, shaking her head.