Gemotions

The metal walls felt cold against David's back as he leaned against them. He kept checking his watch, the seconds ticking by with agonizing slowness. Every creak of the elevator cables made him jump. His heart hammered against his ribs, a frantic drumbeat in the confined space.

He hadn't been in an elevator for years. He always took the stairs; the thought of this enclosed space made him feel... unsettled. He glanced at Emily, who was texting furiously. Her usual bubbly energy was gone. She looked pale.

"Do you think they know we're in here?" he asked, his voice rough. He tried to sound casual, but his throat felt constricted. He felt an intense need to get out. To escape. He had to breathe.

She barely glanced up. "They have to, right? They'll get us out." His knuckles were white from clenching his fists. He felt trapped, not just by the elevator, but by a rising wave of panic that threatened to overwhelm him.