Gemotions

Rain lashed against the elevator shaft, the sound a percussive beat accompanying David’s internal struggle. He slumped against the cool metal wall, the silver surface reflecting his own shadowed features. His jaw was clenched, his eyes narrowed, staring into the flickering light of the single bulb.

He hadn’t spoken to Carol, his coworker, since the elevator had stopped. He didn’t want to. He wanted to be alone. He wanted to unravel the knot in his stomach, a tension that had been building for weeks.

His fingers drummed a restless rhythm against his thigh, a staccato of anxiety. He closed his eyes, visualizing the spreadsheet, the numbers, the failures. He inhaled deeply, the air thick with the metallic tang of fear and the artificial scent of air freshener.