Gemotions

The elevator ascended slowly, each floor a step closer to the inevitable. His palms were sweating, and he kept wiping them on his trousers. The anticipation was a physical burden, a constant ache in his chest. He felt like he wanted to jump out, even though he knew there was no escape.

He noticed the woman next to him, her expression a mirror image of his own. She looked like she might pass out.

"This is… something," she said, her voice barely audible.

He nodded, knowing that no words could possibly provide comfort. But the shared experience was some kind of relief, a moment of connection in the face of the unknown.