Once Upon a Darkened Elevator

This was written for a contest from The Writer's Loft in December 2004. It won Third Place. The rules: two people get stuck in an elevator on Christmas Eve and one must be wearing a Santa Suit. The story must also be less than 1500 words. I hope you enjoy!‘Once Upon a Darkened Elevator’

“Roger! Get me a drink!”

The sound of his ex-wife’s voice floated over the crowd to where Roger was sitting, watching the party. It was Christmas Eve and it was the first year Roger had agreed to come to Jainie’s Christmas party since they had divorced four years previous.

“Get you a drink. Of course I should get you a drink. You’re the hostess and I’m not married to you any longer. Thank God,” Roger mumbled to himself as he stood up and walked over to the bar. Knowing the drink she wished for, he almost dropped his head to the counter in dismay when he saw nothing but an empty bottle of rum. “You’re out.”

“Oh goodness... be a dear and pop over to the store and get another bottle or two, won’t you?” Jainie gave him a passing half smile before returning her full attention to the man she was flirting with, leaving Roger to do her bidding.

Roger threw up his hands in disgust and strode toward the door, stopping only briefly to obtain his coat. “Go to the store she says, we’re out of alcohol. No, I’m not bitter. Not bitter at all. My sanity is questionable, but I am not bitter...”

The elevator door was farther down the hall than he remembered and the gold door was newly polished. As he waited for the car to reach his floor the lights flickered. Glancing around nervously, Roger pressed the call button again.

“Ding!” The elevator arrival announcement echoed through the hall as the doors slid otherwise soundlessly open. Entering the elevator Roger noted there was only one other occupant: a woman leaning against the far wall, dressed in a Santa suit. Roger took his place near the left wall and waited impatiently for the doors to close and for the elevator to begin its decent to the ground floor. As it did so the lights flickered again and several seconds later the elevator stopped. The lights flickered again and then went out entirely, covering the small area in pitch black.

“Goddamn it!” the woman swore to herself. Roger heard a thump and then a sharp intake of breath.

“You okay?” Roger directed his words to the place the woman had been standing a few moments before.

“I think... I fell forward just now. Blame it on disorientation with the dark, but I think I twisted my ankle.” The words came from lower down than he remembered.

“Did you fall on the floor?” Roger felt like a fool the moment the words left his mouth. Of course she fell on the floor. Where else would she have fallen? On the ceiling? Roger berated himself, this time concentrating on not mumbling it out loud. He knelt down and reached out until he felt the floor and then felt his way over to the woman. “Now, don’t be frightened. I’m going to feel your ankle and make sure it’s not broken. You can trust me, I had a bit of medical care. I used to play football, I’ve broken my ankle a bunch of times. Twisted it even more.”

“Just... ouch! Be careful, that hurt.”

“I don’t think it’s broken, but you should get it looked at once we get out of here.”

“How long do you think that will take?” The woman gave another hiss of pain.

“Well, I’m no expert on elevators but I’m guessing a few hours. Maybe a bit longer, it is Christmas Eve.”

“Yeah.”

Silence descended upon the elevator for several minutes. Each person lost in their own thoughts and neither remembering the presence of another person in the small, cramped space.

“You’d think I would be a bit more panicky about being trapped in an elevator,” Roger finally said with a little laugh. “My wife-- my ex-wife is going to kill me. I was going to get more alcohol for her party.”

“At least it’s dark. I hate small places,” The woman paused for a second. “So, big party on Christmas Eve?”

“I guess,” Roger laughed again. “It’s better then moping around at home alone I suppose. How about you... any big plans for the holiday? I saw the suit before the light decided to leave us.”

The woman chuckled, “No, not really. Well, I’m supposed to go and visit my niece and nephew, thus the suit. Other than that I was intending upon sitting at home and drinking eggnog. Say, what’s your name? If we’re going to be stuck here awhile we might as well exchange a bit of information. I’m Gloria.”

“Roger. It’s a pleasure to meet you, even if it is under regrettable circumstances. I would shake your hand if I could see it.”

“Never mind about it. I’ll take a rain check for it. So... any kids?” Gloria stumbled for a subject.

“No. No kids. My wife and I tried for them but nothing ever came of it. Placed too much strain on the relationship in the end. It’s one of the reasons we broke up. How about you? Any children?”

“No,” The tone of Gloria’s voice indicated it was not something she wished to talk about.

“Oh,” Roger let it go and again the elevator compartment drifted into silence.

Several moments passed with no conversation, the only noise coming from somewhere outside. The sound of an ambulance drew closer to the building and then passed, on its way to save people’s lives. The two sat in the elevator lost in thought, hardly noticing the time passing. A hiss of pain from Gloria brought them both back to reality.

“You really need to get that looked at as soon as we get out of here,” Roger informed Gloria with concern in his voice.

“Well, again the question is posed of when will we get out of here? It’s already been at least a half hour. And it’s starting to get really cold. This Santa costume isn’t exactly the warmest thing I’ve ever worn.”

“Would you like my coat?”

“It’s okay,” Gloria’s voice shook slightly.

“Don’t be silly. You’re freezing and I don’t need my coat. Take it.”

“Oh, all right. But I wouldn’t do it normally. Just... it’s really cold.”

“It’s perfectly fine,” Roger gave another laugh. “I offered it, didn’t I? Just feel your way over here. Actually, you’re hurt. I’ll come to you."

Roger began to crawl carefully across the floor of the elevator toward the sound of Gloria’s voice. When he reached her he removed his coat and lifted it to place it on her shoulders. As he settled the coat around her his hand accidentally brushed her cheek. A spark of something flooded him and he gazed into the darkness with a hint of something more.

“Is that better?”

“Yes, it is, thank you, “Gloria replied. She too had felt the something flood her, keeping her warmer then the coat ever would.

The elevator gave a sudden lurch. Gloria jumped and wrapped her arms around Roger. The lights in the elevator flickered back on and it began to move downwards again. Roger, instead of releasing Gloria when the elevator began to work again, pulled her closer. Perhaps, this Christmas Eve meant more than just a surface layer. He still needed to get the alcohol for his ex-wife's party but after that...

Gloria looked up at him and smiled, seemingly reading his mind. “Would you like to come spend Christmas Eve with me? I think my sister and her children will probably already be asleep, so I have nothing else to do. We’ve already spent a good hour together, and-”

Roger cut her off by placing a finger on her lips. “I would love to.”