The elevator doors closed behind Clara with a sharp metallic hiss, sealing away the confrontation that had just shattered her nerves.
She stood still, frozen, her back pressed against the cool steel wall as the elevator descended. The soft hum of the machinery beneath her feet, the occasional metallic click between floors none of it registered. Her knees wobbled, her body barely holding her upright as if her skeleton had turned to paper.
The world tilted not physically, but inside her. Like her whole reality had just taken a cruel detour without warning.
Her fingers clung to the strap of her tote bag, nails digging into the worn fabric like it was the only thing keeping her from falling apart. The elevator’s harsh fluorescent lights flickered, casting a sterile glow over her reflection
