Gemotions

The silence that followed the abrupt stop was deafening. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic drumbeat against the steel. The familiar scent of cleaning solution and stale air now felt like a suffocating poison.

"Are you serious?" Michael asked, a slight tremble in his voice.

She couldn't answer. She took a step, then another, away from the doors. The space felt so small, so limiting. She rubbed her arms, trying to ward off the chill that had settled deep within her.

Her mind was a jumble of catastrophic thoughts. The thought of a long wait, of being utterly alone, was unbearable. She had to get out.