Gemotions

The emergency phone yielded only static. The seconds ticked by, stretching into an eternity. Her hands were clasped tightly in front of her, her knuckles white. I could tell she was not handling the situation well.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. "They'll be here soon," I said, my voice as firm and reassuring as I could manage. "Let's think of something fun."

I started reciting a list of movies, hoping to trigger positive thoughts. After a few, I changed the subject and attempted to get her to talk about her favourite books. I kept talking, even though my own anxiety was making me want to scream.