Gemotions

The metallic smell was starting to make him nauseous. Tom felt the muscles in his shoulders tighten, the strain a constant companion. He glanced at Maria, his coworker, whose face was pale and drawn. She was staring at her phone, the screen dark and useless.

"Any luck?" he asked, his voice rough. She just shook her head, her lips pressed into a thin line.

The constant demands of the job, the pressure to perform, was wearing him thin. He had no energy, nothing left to give. He just wanted to crawl into bed. The elevator was a cage, and he was trapped inside, with no escape.