Gemotions

The doors of the elevator shuddered to a halt, and Alex’s carefully constructed composure began to crumble. He forced a smile, but it felt brittle and artificial. He saw the flicker of apprehension in Susan's eyes.

He tried to keep his voice steady as he spoke, but his throat felt constricted. He watched the emergency phone, wishing it would ring and someone would come rescue them.

The silence was a palpable thing. Each creak and groan of the elevator car amplified his mounting tension. He started pacing, then stopped, afraid he was going to make things worse.

He glanced at his watch every few seconds, but time seemed to have stopped. He felt trapped, cornered. The world outside the metal walls was an illusion.