Gemotions

The phone slipped from Emily’s grasp, clattering onto the hardwood floor. She stared at the screen, the police report confirming what she’d suspected: a kidnapping, a hostage situation, all right here, in her living room. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic drumbeat of fear. The room seemed to shrink, the walls closing in. She felt trapped. She picked up the phone, her hands shaking so badly she could barely dial her friend's number. “I… I can’t be here,” she whispered, her voice cracking. The cheerful floral wallpaper, which she had so carefully chosen, suddenly felt garish and mocking.