Gemotions

The digital display blinked uselessly, mocking their predicament. The air inside felt thick, heavy with unspoken anxieties. "So, uh, what do you even do at this company?" Kevin, his coworker asked, attempting to start a conversation.

"Nothing important," he mumbled, avoiding eye contact. Three hours. The sentence repeated in his head like a broken record.

He felt the familiar knot in his stomach tighten. It was always there, a constant companion. It seemed to grow stronger, this knot, every time he made a mistake, every time he failed to meet the expectations of others. He closed his eyes, imagining himself dissolving into the metal walls of the elevator, becoming one with the nothingness.

He crossed his arms, shielding himself from the world, and focused on his breathing.