Gemotions

The metallic box felt claustrophobic. Sarah tapped her foot, a restless, rapid rhythm that betrayed her inner turmoil. She stared at the emergency button, its red a sharp stab of color. Three hours. She had missed dinner with her family.

“Anything?” Robert, her coworker, asked. His voice was strained, his face pale. His usual enthusiasm had completely drained away.

Her head throbbed, a dull ache that echoed her overall state. The phone in her pocket, dead, was the final insult. This whole week had been one exhausting obstacle after another. The elevator's trapped confines intensified the feeling, trapping not just them, but also her fraying spirit.