Gemotions

The elevator groaned to a halt, the sudden darkness enveloping them like a shroud. “This is just my luck,” muttered Alex. Across from him, Carol, his coworker, began humming a familiar tune. Alex's jaw, usually clenched, slowly relaxed.

He listened to the hum, a small melody that filled the void of silence. He realized the usual racing thoughts in his head had slowed. He watched Carol, the way her eyes darted around the confined space, searching for solutions. The usual pressures, the demands of his job, seemed distant and unimportant.

He felt a deep sense of relief, a release from the constant stress of his daily life. The sudden quiet offered a sanctuary, a moment of respite that he had not realized he needed so badly. He found he was appreciative of the break.