Gemotions

John felt a heat creep up his neck. He fiddled with the knot of his tie, which suddenly felt constricting. He really shouldn't have been so eager to complain about Sarah's performance review to David. "Just between us," he'd said, then proceeded to unleash a torrent of grievances. Now, here he was, staring at David, a captive audience, in this metal cage.

He shifted uncomfortably. His palms felt clammy. David remained motionless, his face an impassive mask. John suddenly wished he’d kept his mouth shut.

“Well… this is… awkward, huh?” John offered, his voice sounding thin even to his own ears. He immediately regretted the words.

David finally broke his silence. "Yep." He didn't elaborate. John felt like he could have sunk through the floor. The silence that followed was deafening. He cleared his throat and stared at the buttons, imagining how the emergency button worked. Maybe a full day of elevator ride would be better than what came after.