The Elevator
Hour Twelve
Alex and Josie woke up to the sound of screeching metal. Alex shot his head up and noticed that the elevator was shaking.
Josie got off of Alex’s body, panicking at the sound, “What’s happening?”
“I don’t know,” Alex said as the elevator kept making noises.
Before Josie could respond, the elevator shifted. Gravity took control as it fell three floors, and then paused. The sudden stop caused them to fly into the air, not much, but just enough to cause a bruise.
“What the fuck?” Alex shouted.
“Does this mean we’re on the ground floor? Did it hit the floor?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” he said, “Why the hell would it just fall--”
The elevator began making the same noises, screeching metal on metal, following violent shaking. The control panel was beeping a loud, blaring sound. The two could barely hear each other speak. Then, the noises stopped. The doors started to move, crow bars peaked their way through the crack. The two of them could see a man’s face, rushing to get the door open.
“How long have you two been in here?” the maintenance man said, surprised.
“Too long.” the both of them said, getting off of the floor and exiting the elevator.
“What took you so long?” Josie exclaimed.
“Our main guy had to leave in a rush this morning, no one was available to be here all day. I got here a few hours ago.” he said, “I just got around to fixing the elevator-- I had no idea anyone was in there. Did you two use the emergency button, or call 9-1-1?”
“Your emergency button is broken,” Josie said, “And there was no signal.”
“Well, I’m so glad you two are okay.” the man said, “Do you need to go to the hospital?”
“We’re fine, thanks.” she said, “I think we just want to go home.”
Alex extended his arm and grabbed Josie’s hand, “Yeah, let’s go home.”
The two of them walked outside hand in hand. Josie felt the fresh air hit her face and she smiled. When they got into the car, she noticed her cell phone in the cup holder. Her smile faded as she saw her many missed calls and messages from her boss. She concluded that she was probably already fired, so she decided to face them in the morning. It was 2:30, and the party was most likely over. Even if people were still there, it would take them at least an hour to get there.
“Do you want me to drive?” he said, “You look anxious.”
“That would be great.” she said.
As Alex drove, Josie kept looking at him. She wasn’t going to be an intern anymore, so she wouldn’t see Alex again. Spending twelve hours straight with someone forces you to get to know them very well. She made a mental list of pros and cons: should she pursue him? Should she go home and forgot he ever existed? He was the one who kissed her, so he must think of her as more than a friend. But was that what she wanted? How would they act around each other in the real world? It’s easy to fall for someone when you’re the only two people in the room. Alex’s life was completely separate from hers. He was a celebrity, and she was just an intern. In the morning, she would just be a regular girl with no ties to the music industry. She knew she wasn’t ready to be apart of his world, the glitz and glamour of being in the spotlight. She wanted to be behind the scenes, not in front of the camera.
They approached a large, modern house. It wasn’t quite a mansion, but it was larger than life. Seeing where Alex lived proved to Josie that she wasn’t ready for this lifestyle. He pulled into his driveway, and smiled at her.
“Do you want to come up stairs for drinks? Or do you never want to be alone with me ever again?” he laughed.
“Alex,” she said, “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Drinks?” he said, “It is pretty late. Do you want to have lunch tomorrow?”
“I meant, we’re not a good idea.” she said.
“What do you mean?” he asked, “I don’t understand. In the elevator, you told me you liked me.”
“We’re not in the elevator anymore. I like you, but I’m not sure I’m ready for all of this.” she said.
“Well, I told you that when we left, you could decide our future.” he said, “It was probably just the lack of oxygen, and the small space that brought us closer.”
“They say if you put two people in a room together long enough, they’re bound to make out.” she laughed.
“Goodbye, Josie.” he smiled as he got out of the car, “I don’t think I’ll ever forget you.”
He closed the door and walked towards his house. She quickly rolled down the window and yelled for him. He came back to the window.
She smiled at him, “You’re on a good path right now, and I hope you stay on it. No more scandals and harassing interns?”
“I promise.” he smiled before he turned around again, walking back.
Josie rolled up the window and turned on the radio, drowning out the world around her. She braced herself for the inevitable ending of her internship, and drove home.
Josie got off of Alex’s body, panicking at the sound, “What’s happening?”
“I don’t know,” Alex said as the elevator kept making noises.
Before Josie could respond, the elevator shifted. Gravity took control as it fell three floors, and then paused. The sudden stop caused them to fly into the air, not much, but just enough to cause a bruise.
“What the fuck?” Alex shouted.
“Does this mean we’re on the ground floor? Did it hit the floor?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” he said, “Why the hell would it just fall--”
The elevator began making the same noises, screeching metal on metal, following violent shaking. The control panel was beeping a loud, blaring sound. The two could barely hear each other speak. Then, the noises stopped. The doors started to move, crow bars peaked their way through the crack. The two of them could see a man’s face, rushing to get the door open.
“How long have you two been in here?” the maintenance man said, surprised.
“Too long.” the both of them said, getting off of the floor and exiting the elevator.
“What took you so long?” Josie exclaimed.
“Our main guy had to leave in a rush this morning, no one was available to be here all day. I got here a few hours ago.” he said, “I just got around to fixing the elevator-- I had no idea anyone was in there. Did you two use the emergency button, or call 9-1-1?”
“Your emergency button is broken,” Josie said, “And there was no signal.”
“Well, I’m so glad you two are okay.” the man said, “Do you need to go to the hospital?”
“We’re fine, thanks.” she said, “I think we just want to go home.”
Alex extended his arm and grabbed Josie’s hand, “Yeah, let’s go home.”
The two of them walked outside hand in hand. Josie felt the fresh air hit her face and she smiled. When they got into the car, she noticed her cell phone in the cup holder. Her smile faded as she saw her many missed calls and messages from her boss. She concluded that she was probably already fired, so she decided to face them in the morning. It was 2:30, and the party was most likely over. Even if people were still there, it would take them at least an hour to get there.
“Do you want me to drive?” he said, “You look anxious.”
“That would be great.” she said.
As Alex drove, Josie kept looking at him. She wasn’t going to be an intern anymore, so she wouldn’t see Alex again. Spending twelve hours straight with someone forces you to get to know them very well. She made a mental list of pros and cons: should she pursue him? Should she go home and forgot he ever existed? He was the one who kissed her, so he must think of her as more than a friend. But was that what she wanted? How would they act around each other in the real world? It’s easy to fall for someone when you’re the only two people in the room. Alex’s life was completely separate from hers. He was a celebrity, and she was just an intern. In the morning, she would just be a regular girl with no ties to the music industry. She knew she wasn’t ready to be apart of his world, the glitz and glamour of being in the spotlight. She wanted to be behind the scenes, not in front of the camera.
They approached a large, modern house. It wasn’t quite a mansion, but it was larger than life. Seeing where Alex lived proved to Josie that she wasn’t ready for this lifestyle. He pulled into his driveway, and smiled at her.
“Do you want to come up stairs for drinks? Or do you never want to be alone with me ever again?” he laughed.
“Alex,” she said, “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Drinks?” he said, “It is pretty late. Do you want to have lunch tomorrow?”
“I meant, we’re not a good idea.” she said.
“What do you mean?” he asked, “I don’t understand. In the elevator, you told me you liked me.”
“We’re not in the elevator anymore. I like you, but I’m not sure I’m ready for all of this.” she said.
“Well, I told you that when we left, you could decide our future.” he said, “It was probably just the lack of oxygen, and the small space that brought us closer.”
“They say if you put two people in a room together long enough, they’re bound to make out.” she laughed.
“Goodbye, Josie.” he smiled as he got out of the car, “I don’t think I’ll ever forget you.”
He closed the door and walked towards his house. She quickly rolled down the window and yelled for him. He came back to the window.
She smiled at him, “You’re on a good path right now, and I hope you stay on it. No more scandals and harassing interns?”
“I promise.” he smiled before he turned around again, walking back.
Josie rolled up the window and turned on the radio, drowning out the world around her. She braced herself for the inevitable ending of her internship, and drove home.