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oracleofaal t1_iw4yar9 wrote

<2/3>

The elevator seemed to move at a speed that belied its age. Amelia wondered why she hadn’t been using the elevator every day. Her trip would be but a minute at this rate. But then, she heard a deep male voice that seemed to come from every direction.

“Hello, Amelia. I’ve been waiting for you.”

“No, no, no, no. Waiting for me? What do you mean waiting for me?” she squeaked out as her head swiveled around trying to determine the origins of the voice.

“I mean you’ve lived in this building for well over a month and you have not once stepped into the elevator. That is how long I’ve been waiting,” the voice responded evenly before adding, “and I don’t like to wait,” with a hint of a growl.

After a moment of panic, she recovered enough of her wits to shout, “Let me out, let me out right now!” and bang her fists on the doors of the elevator.

“I don’t think you want me to do that, Amelia,” the elevator responded as though it was trying to calm a wild animal.

“You’re not supposed to be able to think or talk for that matter, so how could you think about what I want?! I very much do not want to be in here anymore. Let me OUT!”

“If I must, Amelia,” came the almost exasperated response. The elevator slowly came to a stop and the doors opened. It certainly wasn’t the 15th-floor hallway or the lobby.

[WC: 250]

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andrius-b t1_iwboycu wrote

<3/3>

It was a long mint-green corridor that evoked the feeling of a hospital. She hesitated.

"You'll regret it," the voice said gleefully.

"Piss off," she muttered before stepping out. Anywhere away from that... thing.

She started walking, her footsteps echoing down the corridor. The light fixtures above flickered. There were no doors, no windows. No way but forward.

She wasn't sure how long she walked down the seemingly endless corridor, but at some point she heard a thud ahead. She paused and squinted.

"Hello?"

The thud repeated, and a segment of the corridor ahead plunged into darkness. Then another, the darkness reaching for her like a living thing.

Amelia squeaked and raced back. Some primal part of her knew that she mustn't find herself outside the light.

She jumped into the elevator and jabbed the button for the 15th floor.

"Look at you, Amelia," the voice jeered. "You rejected my goodwill, and where has that brought you? Back to me."

"Move, please, move!"

"Tell me you're sorry."

She cast a frantic glance at the encroaching darkness. "I'm sorry, please, get me out of here!"

"Of course, Amelia. You needed but ask."

She sobbed with relief when the doors closed, shutting off the darkness. The cheap elevator music sounded sweet.

"I did well, didn't I?" A petulant note entered the voice. "The polite thing would be to thank me."

"Thank you," she said, her pulse racing. "Thanks so much."

"That's right," the voice said, breathing heavily. "No reason we can't be friends."

She shivered and closed her eyes, feeling as if it was lurking right behind her. The elevator mercifully stopped, and the doors opened to her floor. Hardly believing her luck, she stormed out.

"I'll be seeing you soon, Amelia," the voice said.

"Over my dead body," she muttered.

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oracleofaal t1_iwji1hy wrote

Ooh, fantastic. I couldn't figure out how she was going to get back in the elevator. I like it.

2