Gemotions

The silence in the elevator was suffocating. He and Kevin, both vying for the same role. A week later, he still replayed the announcement in his head. His palms were slick with sweat as he rode down.

He avoided eye contact with the other passengers, staring intently at the floor numbers ticking down. Each floor felt like a step closer to his doom. He gripped his briefcase so tightly his knuckles ached.

When the doors opened, he virtually fell out of the elevator. The lobby felt impossibly bright, the sounds of the bustling crowd overwhelming. He needed to get away, to hide. The thought of facing Kevin, the unspoken competition hanging between them, was torturous. He needed a moment to breathe, to think. The world felt wrong.