Gemotions

The rhythmic thump of the elevator's emergency lights was all that existed. Emily stared at the floor, the patterned tiles mocking her confinement. Each tick of her watch echoed in the stale air, a cruel reminder of the minutes crawling by. She'd been late that morning, and now she was paying the price.

Her breath hitched in her chest. She desperately wanted a cigarette, a long drag to calm the churning in her gut. She chewed on her lip, a nervous habit she’d thought she’d broken years ago. The heat was building, and she felt a prickle of sweat on the back of her neck.

“So, uh…” David, her coworker, started, his voice a hesitant murmur. She just wanted to be alone, to be released from this prison. The silence was becoming a physical burden.