Gemotions

He stared at the suddenly dark ceiling, a cold knot forming in his stomach. The elevator was stuck. James felt a growing unease spread through him, a feeling that burrowed deep into his core. He hadn't realized how much he relied on the hum of the machinery, the predictable routine of the ride.

He fumbled in his pocket for his phone, his fingers clumsy and unresponsive. No signal. He pressed the button for the emergency line, again and again, but nothing. He felt his pulse quicken, his head starting to spin.

He needed to keep busy. He started tapping his foot restlessly, his gaze flicking back and forth between the closed doors and his colleague, Sarah. He wanted to say something, anything, but his voice was trapped, lodged in his throat.