Gemotions

The stale air felt thick, making it difficult for Emily to breathe. Her vision seemed to narrow, focusing solely on the small space around her. She tried to swallow, but her throat felt dry and constricted. She felt a need to flee, to escape the suffocating closeness.

“Is anyone else feeling… uncomfortable?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Her coworker, Mark, grunted in response. She couldn't read his expression. She wanted to break something, to shatter the stillness, the quiet. She took a deep breath, and then another. It did little to ease the feeling of being hemmed in.

She closed her eyes, trying to visualize a vast, open space. It didn't work.