Gemotions

The humming of the elevator, usually a background noise, now became an irritant, a constant reminder of her helplessness. She felt herself becoming increasingly agitated, her jaw clenched tight. The presentation was in an hour, and she was nowhere.

She tried to take a deep breath, but her lungs seemed to have forgotten how. Her heart was racing. She needed to leave.

She stared at the floor numbers, willing the indicator to move. She ran her hands through her hair, smoothing it back, then pulling at the ends. She kept repeating herself, silently. "It will be okay. It will be okay."

She finally just leaned against the wall, her eyes squeezed shut, trying to shut out the world.