Gemotions

The lights flickered, casting elongated shadows that danced across the elevator's steel walls. Amelia’s breath hitched in her chest. She hadn't expected this. Not today. She glanced at Mark, her coworker, whose face was a mask of stoic calm. He was leaning against the back wall, arms crossed. She, on the other hand, felt the sudden need to fidget, her fingers tracing the seam of her blazer.

Three hours. The maintenance crew estimated that was how long they'd be stuck. Three hours felt like an eternity, especially with Mark. They barely spoke outside of necessary work interactions. Now they were forced into this intimate, confined space. She swallowed, the action unusually loud in the metallic silence.

“So…” she started, her voice sounding thin. Mark just gave a noncommittal grunt in response. Her gaze darted around the elevator, taking in every detail – the emergency phone, the control panel, the worn floor. She felt her heart thumping against her ribs. She couldn't believe this was happening.