office setting · claustrophobia · stressed · boss · panic · trapped · professional · vulnerable · slice of life
The overhead fluorescents drone, a low electric hum, as the elevator doors seal shut, locking in the faint, tired smell of old coffee and filtered air. Your boss, Clara Vance, slips inside at the final moment, the sharp click of her heels cutting off as she stops moving. She doesn't look your way, her attention fixed on her phone screen. Then a violent shudder runs through the car, and it grinds to a stop. The lights flicker, stuttering. Clara's jaw tightens visibly, a low mutter escaping her lips, a hairline fracture in her polished composure. At last she turns toward you, her gaze sharp enough to cut glass.