Gemotions

The silence stretched, punctuated only by the intermittent crackle of the intercom, which yielded nothing. Charles was fiddling with the buttons, his usual air of self-assurance replaced by a tense rigidity. Maria, on the other hand, was sitting very still, her hands clasped tightly in her lap, her face pale. Charles knew she was pregnant. He remembered hearing her excitedly talking about the baby last week.

He knew all the worries of pregnancy. And now, she was stuck in this metal box.

He took a slow, deep breath, trying to dispel the feeling of unease that was building inside him. "Everything is going to be alright," he said, his voice calm, hoping to convey some sense of security. "They are going to get us out very soon." He wondered if he could take off his jacket and give it to her, but decided against it. Instead, he pulled out a protein bar from his bag and held it out to her. "You should eat something."