Gemotions

The fluorescent lights flickered overhead, casting a sickly yellow glow on the two figures trapped within the metal box. Sarah felt the familiar tightening in her chest. She hadn’t spoken to anyone besides the automated voice telling them they were experiencing a delay all day. She hugged her arms around herself, a silent attempt at self-comfort.

Across from her, Mark, a man from the accounting department, was fiddling with his tie. He glanced at her, then quickly looked away, his cheeks flushed. The confined space amplified every small sound, every unspoken tension.

Sarah’s gaze drifted to the emergency phone. Three hours. It felt like an eternity. She imagined her empty apartment, the silence that would greet her when she got home. A profound sense of emptiness washed over her. She sighed, a small, involuntary sound.