Gemotions

He felt his heart hammering against his ribs, a frantic drumbeat in the confined space. The air in the elevator grew thick, heavy. David felt a bead of sweat trickle down his temple.

"So, um... what do you think happened?" Brenda, his coworker, asked, trying to sound casual. But he noticed the way her voice cracked.

David didn't answer right away. His mind was racing, replaying every interaction he'd had that day. Had he offended anyone? Said the wrong thing? The way Brenda’s eyes kept darting around the elevator, the way she was now humming, these were all clues.

He stepped back, pressing himself against the wall, trying to create distance between himself and Brenda. Every shadow seemed to deepen, every corner to conceal something sinister. Each new sound sent him flinching. The idea that this wasn't an accident, that they were trapped here for a reason, took hold.

He looked at her, and the light above her head seemed to flicker and change, casting her in a strange new light.