Gemotions

He watched the red numbers of the floor indicator remain stubbornly fixed on seven. David took a deliberate, deep breath, expanding his chest. This sort of thing happened. Things broke. He knew this.

He noticed the slight tremor in his hands, and consciously relaxed his fingers, letting them fall limp at his sides. He took another deep breath, the stale air not bothering him.

“Any luck with the phone?” he asked his colleague, Maria, who was fiddling with her phone. Her usual frenetic energy seemed amplified by the confined space.

David felt the slight throb of a headache beginning at his temples, but he ignored it. He focused instead on the smooth surface of the elevator panel.