Fear is tangible

The air was tense.
It was almost as if the room was shrinking.
Twelve neatly dressed officers sat upright staring at the files in front of them, occasionally stealing glances
at their compatriots.
The smell of Mahogany wood wafted through the windows and Hemller wanted to be home with his loved ones.
A good lifestyle had its price to pay and it might just be his and his family's life this time around. 
The red swastika in the wall conjured respect and fear.
Hemller knew he could not hide if he betrayed the most feared man in the world.
The silence was eerie and he dared not talk. It was fourty seven minutes since the officers assembled in the hall.
It felt like an entire eternity.
The door creaked and the twelve officers held their breath.
Dreams of his children and the comfort of his wife's arms evaporated.
Their hearts stopped beating.
The twelve men almost immediately stood together in rapt attention when the Fuehrer entered.
Twenty-four eyes and twelve heads bowed in veneration and terror.
For the first time, he understood that fear is tangible. 
It is an attribute of the strong, Hemller thought to himself.

Picture credit; www.chattershmatter.com