Gemotions

The cold steel of the elevator car seemed to amplify the hum of the emergency lights. He felt as if his skin were crawling, a thousand tiny pinpricks of sensation. His companion, Emily, sat cross-legged, humming a tune. He felt the need to get things going, to change the status quo.

"I could probably figure out how to short-circuit this thing," he said, staring intently at the control panel. His eyes scanned every button, every wire. He mentally replayed how the elevator functioned. He started tapping the up arrow repeatedly, a nervous tic.

He pulled his phone from his pocket, checking for a signal, although he knew it was a lost cause. He quickly flicked through his apps. No luck. He stuffed his phone back in his pocket. He turned to Emily, his chest swelling, and spoke again.

"Or… we could try yelling for help, like, really loud. See if anyone's around."