Gemotions

He’d always considered himself a practical man, a man of logic and reason. Now, here he was, staring at the unresponsive control panel of the elevator, a knot forming in his gut. The silence was the worst part, punctuated only by the rhythmic, labored breathing of his coworker, Sarah.

He ran a hand through his hair, a nervous gesture he usually avoided. He examined the metal panel closely, almost willing it to start working again. It offered no explanation. It offered only cold, unyielding indifference.

Sarah started humming a jaunty tune, a bizarre counterpoint to his internal turmoil. Her attempts at lightheartedness only served to deepen his mounting bewilderment. He couldn't shake the feeling that something fundamentally didn’t make sense.