Gemotions

The lights flickered and died, and with them, any sense of control. For Maria, it was almost... agreeable. She sank against the wall, a quiet exhalation her only response.

"Great," muttered John, her coworker. Maria just tilted her head slightly, focusing on the faint hum of the emergency lights.

She found herself looking at the patterns in the metal, the small imperfections, the subtle variations in color. It was a small window into the world, a microscopic view that allowed her to disconnect from the chaos outside.

She thought of the river near her home, and imagined its gentle flow. She could almost smell the fresh air, and the minutes passed without seeming to matter.