Gemotions

The silence, broken only by the occasional groan of the elevator’s machinery, was a torment. Olivia felt her vision start to narrow, the edges of her sight blurring. She felt her skin prickling with a thousand tiny needles. She pressed her back against the cool metal wall, trying to find some purchase, some anchor in the spinning world.

Her coworker, Tom, was attempting to make light of the situation, telling jokes, but his forced cheerfulness grated on her nerves. She couldn't focus on his words. She just wanted to get out. The air felt heavy, oppressive, stealing the oxygen from her lungs.

She imagined her to-do list, all the things she had to accomplish. Now, it was a list of lost time, of opportunities slipping away. She closed her eyes, trying to force herself to breathe, to slow her runaway heartbeat. It was no use, she was going to lose it.