Short Story
I'm taking a writing class at Pandemonium, my local SciFi bookstore. Our homework assignment for last week was to write a scene in an elevator that stops. I really like how this came out, as did my class, so I thought I'd share it.
Going Up
by
Ana Steuart
I missed the bus, walked here in the rain, and now I’m late for work, Amy thought. I don’t need anything else to go--
A lycra-covered hand caught the elevator door as it was closing, letting a man in a blue-and-silver bodysuit on.
“Why are you taking the elevator, John? I thought you super-powered had a more direct way of getting to your stations?” she asked.
“The High Command suggested that those gifted with powers should use ordinary means of transport when not on assignment. But I’m not fooled. You machine-dependant Techies complained about how inferior you were feeling, didn’t you?” he replied.
“I’m sure you’d feel pretty inferior without the heat-trapping materials we designed for flyboys like you. Stormbringer almost froze his--“
“Why are we stopping?”
“You’re the one who can fly. Why not lift the elevator up to your floor?” she suggested.
“Do you know how much an elevator weighs? I’d need super strength to lift this much steel! You’re the Techie, why don’t you find the emergency override or whatever you call it?”
“Sure, now you want my help. You never bothered to read the manual, did you?”
“Well, err....” he began.
“If you’d read it, you’d know that there’s an emergency panel in every elevator. It pops off like --this-- and conceals the mechanism that opens the safety hatch in the floor. See?”
“I do see. Now I shall bid you--Hey! Let go of my cape!”
“Oh no you don’t, John. I showed you how to get out of here, but you’re not leaving until you’ve been a ‘gentleman’ enough to give me a lift down to the emergency ladder.”
“Oh, very well. I suppose I must return the favor and provide you with a lift. Here you are.”
“Thank y--”
SCREECH!
“Amy! The elevator’s falling the shaft!”
“Get me to that override two floors down! No, wait! Damnit, John, watch your hands!”
“Do you want me to drop you, woman!?”
“No! Just hold me steady! I’ve got the panel--almost there--HA! We’re out!”
“Heh, a daring rescue and a narrow escape. I believe that’s two thank-yous you owe me, little lady.”
“Too bad it didn’t squish you, flyboy.” she replied. “You’d be stuck in that elevator without my help!”
A panel on the wall chimed. “Quite right. You worked well together under duress. Both of you will report to my office for you next assignment as a team.”
“But Director--” Amy began.
“Sir, if I may--” John started.
“I shall accept no arguments on this,” the director continued. “Report immediately. Oh, and be sure to take the stairs.”
Going Up
by
Ana Steuart
I missed the bus, walked here in the rain, and now I’m late for work, Amy thought. I don’t need anything else to go--
A lycra-covered hand caught the elevator door as it was closing, letting a man in a blue-and-silver bodysuit on.
“Why are you taking the elevator, John? I thought you super-powered had a more direct way of getting to your stations?” she asked.
“The High Command suggested that those gifted with powers should use ordinary means of transport when not on assignment. But I’m not fooled. You machine-dependant Techies complained about how inferior you were feeling, didn’t you?” he replied.
“I’m sure you’d feel pretty inferior without the heat-trapping materials we designed for flyboys like you. Stormbringer almost froze his--“
“Why are we stopping?”
“You’re the one who can fly. Why not lift the elevator up to your floor?” she suggested.
“Do you know how much an elevator weighs? I’d need super strength to lift this much steel! You’re the Techie, why don’t you find the emergency override or whatever you call it?”
“Sure, now you want my help. You never bothered to read the manual, did you?”
“Well, err....” he began.
“If you’d read it, you’d know that there’s an emergency panel in every elevator. It pops off like --this-- and conceals the mechanism that opens the safety hatch in the floor. See?”
“I do see. Now I shall bid you--Hey! Let go of my cape!”
“Oh no you don’t, John. I showed you how to get out of here, but you’re not leaving until you’ve been a ‘gentleman’ enough to give me a lift down to the emergency ladder.”
“Oh, very well. I suppose I must return the favor and provide you with a lift. Here you are.”
“Thank y--”
SCREECH!
“Amy! The elevator’s falling the shaft!”
“Get me to that override two floors down! No, wait! Damnit, John, watch your hands!”
“Do you want me to drop you, woman!?”
“No! Just hold me steady! I’ve got the panel--almost there--HA! We’re out!”
“Heh, a daring rescue and a narrow escape. I believe that’s two thank-yous you owe me, little lady.”
“Too bad it didn’t squish you, flyboy.” she replied. “You’d be stuck in that elevator without my help!”
A panel on the wall chimed. “Quite right. You worked well together under duress. Both of you will report to my office for you next assignment as a team.”
“But Director--” Amy began.
“Sir, if I may--” John started.
“I shall accept no arguments on this,” the director continued. “Report immediately. Oh, and be sure to take the stairs.”