Original Fic: Courage
Title: Courage
Author: ilerya82
'Verse: None - This is original.
Claim/Pairing: Original - No pairing, just a general love theme.
Media: original!fic
Word Count: 2,510
Rating: T for language
Disclaimer: The people, places and events in this story are not real. If they bear any semblance of a resemblance to reality, it is not intended.
Summary: Learning to appreciate everyday life while making a new friend in the elevator.
Table/Prompt/Listing... for _____ Community: everyday life from my bingo card for love_bingo
Courage
The sounds are all the same. They never change, they grow louder and softer depending on the ambient noise, but they are always as they were. Day in, day out, it’s the same routine. Get up, shower, drive to work, eat breakfast, deal with many major crises and innumerable boring meetings, eat (or sometimes forget to eat) lunch, more meetings and crises, get in the car, field texts, drive home, pick up the kids, make dinner, eat dinner, bath times, bed times, TV and then pass out some time later. What happens between the TV and the pass out moment varies. Some nights it's making up stories based on prompts from this community or that. Other nights it's making icons and banners from my favourite shows. Most nights it’s playing my favourite MMO and losing myself in the fantasy, chatting away with my guild mates in either voice or private text chats.
This is not the way I had ever imagined my life when I was growing up. I never once imagined that I would be a divorcee before the age of 30. I couldn't possibly have known that my next meaningful relationship would end in a ball of flames. Never would I have believed that my everyday life would be as humdrum, boring, as it is.
I stepped into the elevator today, heading home for another lonely night after my little angel went to bed. I was pretty sure this was a gaming night. The newest expansion pack had just been released and I could be assured of some mindless chatter while slaughtering some evil jawbreaker like eyeballs or dragon shard wyrms in the mystical forests of the game. A little something to kill the loneliness that comes from being a single, working Mom. I hit P1 and I took my usual place, leaning against the back wall with my hands on the chair rail that ran around the interior at about waist height. I couldn't help but wonder, what on earth could you need a railing for in an elevator? The ride from the 25th floor was a long one, all the more time to contemplate my sad existence as I scrolled through the messages on my BlackBerry.
The elevator stopped at almost every floor. Some got on, some got off. No one was looking at me standing against the mirrored glass back of the elevator. I'd made this ride from my cubicle on the 25th floor to the parking garage every day for the last 2 years. I'd made the decision to move to my company's head office as an Analyst when my relationship with my son's father had imploded. It seemed like a good time to start over, to see what this world could offer me if I decided to swim in the ocean instead of this man-made lake I’d been in.
By the 15th floor, I was the only one on the elevator. At 14, another rather harried looking young woman stepped on. I knew that look. It was a lot like mine. She had an overflowing bag, a BlackBerry in hand, and a bunch of files tucked under one arm. A little ‘light’ reading for the evening - oh yeah, I’d rocked that look. The elevator continued downward as the little indicator light flashed ever brighter on my BlackBerry. There was always another message, another email, something else that required my attention.
13
We both rode on in silence. She was checking her messages, I stood basking in the glow of the previous 10 floors worth of messages I’d cleared. It was hard not to take work home. I kind of wished someone had told me that when I’d started this job two years prior. I still wished someone would tell me not to bring work home. That time was for my family and there was no way that my job was that important.
12
I blew bubbles with my chewing gum. She blew her bangs from her face.
11
The downward motion began to slow. Looks like there would be more people joining our nice, quiet ride to the garage. The more I looked over at her, the more I wanted to introduce myself. Make small talk. Ask about her day.
Make a friend…
10
The elevator stopped. The door opened revealing the 10th floor lobby. The empty tenth floor lobby.
“Unbelievable! Always happens when you’re leaving late, doesn’t it?” my fellow rider complained and stepped forward to press the button to close the doors.
“Always,” I smiled, commiserating with her for just a moment. It was the best I could do considering her current attitude. Why should I add to the frazzled, crazy, chaotic state of her life with any pressure of friendship? Or even of conversation?
The doors slid closed and the elevator lurched noticeably as it prepared to continue its descent. We both grabbed the railing to steady ourselves. The floor rocked beneath us. A loud, cavernous creaking sound emitted from the shaft like a groan.
“What the -“my fellow rider began, but the point was moot.
The elevator began to plummet towards the earth. The sheer force of gravity pushed us to our respective walls. The files that had been tucked beneath her arm were now flying through the air, the papers flapping here and there, reminiscent of a wind tunnel. Sheer panic set in. I let out a blood curdling scream. My companion’s arm stretched out towards the control panel, finger zoning in on the red ‘Stop’ button.
It felt like an eternity but her finger connected with the button. Please God, don’t let me die like this! You know that sound? That screeching, squeaking sound that happens when the brakes on your car need to be changed? The elevator started to slow, screeching as the brakes tried to catch hold and stop the careening car on its cables. The force of the stopping car felt like to was pushing me into the floor. Rocking violently, the car finally stopped somewhere between the 2nd and 3rd floors. The shrill sound of the alarm rang out as we sat on the floor of the car with my companion’s papers floating to the ground around us.
“Are - are you OK?” I managed to croak out weakly. She was rubbing the back of her head. I had seen it connect with the rail on the wall of the elevator on her way down to the floor.
That had to have hurt.
She might have a concussion…
“I - I think so…” she continued to rub the back of her head. I was checking for any signs that she may be bleeding covertly in the mirror through the dim haze of the emergency lighting. I couldn’t see any from my vantage point, but then again it was pretty dark in here.
That alarm isn’t anywhere near as loud as I thought it would be…
I slid myself across the floor; terrified to stand for fear that we would continue to fall. Normally, I would argue with anyone over the safety of an elevator but even I was beginning to question whether my response was sane after what had just happened. It’ll be a while before I get in an elevator again… I could see the control panel - there had to be a call button or something on there… There just had to be.
“Wha - What are you doing?” my companion spoke again. That was a good sign. I should probably try to keep her focused and talking - that way if she does have a concussion… Geez, what am I going to do about that? I can keep her conscious until the paramedics get here, I guess. If they ever get here…
“There’s gotta be a call button or something that will connect us with the security desk or the maintenance desk,” I was muttering more to myself than to answer her question, but it was a semblance of a conversation. “My name is Sarah, what’s yours?”
“Abigail,” she said softly. Abigail had stopped rubbing the back of her head and sat staring at me, shifting my ass across the floor - sliding from one cheek to the other until I reached the panel.
“Well, Abigail,” I began, “I don’t see a damned thing to help us here. You don’t happen to know the extension for Security do you?” I looked over, my shoulder at her. There was only one button that had any meaning in any sort of catastrophe - ‘Emergency Stop.’ It was amazing that they could get away with that in this day and age. Didn’t they have call buttons on just about everything these days?
Abigail learned forward, her eyes squinting as if she needed to confirm what I had just said with her own eyes. “Seriously?”
“Seriously!”
“Yeah, I think I do,” she said as she fumbled for her BlackBerry on the ground and scooped it up pushing buttons left, right and centre. I knew she was entering her passcode - company issue BlackBerry’s required a secure password to access the network. It was a constant virtual private network in the 4G realm. “Sorry, it’s a password change day.” She shook her head and chuckled as she started pressing keys again.
I let out a deep, breathy laugh and tilted my head back until it was resting against the wall. I completely understood password day. Once every three months the company made us change our passwords to almost every electronic device and software program we had access to. They thought that it would keep things secure and safe. The Data Security department could always tell when the most common days for password changes were - they were incredibly busy.
“I think this is -“ Abigail started. When she didn’t continue I dropped my head to look at her. She was staring at the phone and frowning.
“What is it?” I asked cautiously. I was terrified she was going to tell me her battery was dead, there was no reception, or that she didn’t have the number.
“Sorry - text from my sister - I was about to say,” she said softly, “that I think this is the number we need.” Abigail hit the ‘Call’ button and placed the phone on speaker. It rang.
And it rang…
“Seriously?” The words spat out of my mouth like fire. My patience had run out. Who really wants to be stuck in an elevator anyways? Not me!
I pushed myself up off the floor none too carefully and took the three steps to the door in the blink of an eye. Raising my hands I started banging on the door and calling out for help. Within seconds, Abigail was beside me doing the same.
“Heeelllllllpppppp!” I called.
“Please, we’re stuck in here! Is anybody out there?” Abigail chimed in after me.
We alternated our calls in a rhythm. It was hard to tell if anyone could hear us; the alarm that was screeching outside the elevator car was piercing and incredibly loud. I began to doubt any one would hear us. Not normally one to give in to despair, I continued to bang on the door, but instead of calling out, I let out quiet sobs. No one could hear my tears; even Abigail seemed oblivious to them as she kept calling out, louder than before.
I sank to the floor unable to control the sobs wracking my body. Please God, I’m too young to die…
“Helllp! Please!” Abigail’s voice was hoarse and breaking. She’d continued on for so long without me. I felt horrible for caving and collapsing on her, but I was terrified.
“I’m scared too, you know,” she sobbed out as she turned and pressed her back to the doors and sank down to the floor. It was then that I could see the tears, see the sobs shaking her to the core as well.
“I never doubted you were,” I replied softly, “I just think you’re a whole hell of a lot stronger than I am.” My head dropped to the floor, tears streaming down my face. It’s amazing the courage you find to speak when you’re life is at risk.
“Hmmm,” her voice was soft and wispy, “No, not stronger.” She shook her head with almost a chuckle. I raised my head to look at her, unable to believe that she was laughing. She definitely was a stronger person than I; it took strength to make light of something like this.
“I have a daughter, Meghan” she began, her voice cracking under the stress of the situation, “She’ll be two in a couple of weeks. I was hurrying to get out of here so that I could go and pick up her birthday present and drop it at my Mom’s to hide it until her party.”
“I have a son, Jackson and he’s almost two as well. He means everything to me. I was on my way to pick him up. I commute in almost an hour every day and I spend that whole drive time wondering what we’ll do today.”
“Are you a single Mom, Sarah? I didn’t notice a ring…”
“Yeah, and I don’t notice one on your finger either. You too?”
“Yup,” Abigail said proudly. “Her father wasn’t any prize.”
“Jackson’s wasn’t either,” and I laughed. It was amazing really. Sitting here, swapping my life story with Abigail, I let go of the fear and I actually laughed. She was taking my mind off it, and hopefully I was doing the same for her.
“Funny, I’ve seen you every day for the last two years in this elevator and we’ve never spoken. We should talk more - we have a lot in common, Sarah.”
The sound was faint but it was there.
“Shhhh, do you hear that?”
Muffled, but it truly was there. It was the sound of rescue.
“Yeah, Sarah, I do. I do.”
We smiled at each other. Abigail rose before I did and stretched out her hand to help raise me to my feet. We both resumed banging against the door and crying out, “We’re in here! Help!”
Help was on its way, and soon we would be home with our families doing the same old boring things we did day in and day out. Only now, they didn’t seem so boring. Now, everyday life seemed more beautiful and less boring.
I will never take a moment with my son for granted again.
“Hey Abigail,” I stopped and turned to her.
“Yeah?”
“I’m on 25 - extension 7008… If you ever want to grab a coffee and have a chat…”
She pulled her BlackBerry into her hands and keyed in the information and smiled.
“7725 - I’m actually on 23; I had an interview today. Coffee sounds good. You can tell me some more about your little man and I can tell you about my little princess.”
“Hang on ladies; we’re going to get you out of there!”
They were getting closer. We were going to be okay. The best part of being trapped in that elevator was making a new friend.
Author: ilerya82
'Verse: None - This is original.
Claim/Pairing: Original - No pairing, just a general love theme.
Media: original!fic
Word Count: 2,510
Rating: T for language
Disclaimer: The people, places and events in this story are not real. If they bear any semblance of a resemblance to reality, it is not intended.
Summary: Learning to appreciate everyday life while making a new friend in the elevator.
Table/Prompt/Listing... for _____ Community: everyday life from my bingo card for love_bingo
Courage
The sounds are all the same. They never change, they grow louder and softer depending on the ambient noise, but they are always as they were. Day in, day out, it’s the same routine. Get up, shower, drive to work, eat breakfast, deal with many major crises and innumerable boring meetings, eat (or sometimes forget to eat) lunch, more meetings and crises, get in the car, field texts, drive home, pick up the kids, make dinner, eat dinner, bath times, bed times, TV and then pass out some time later. What happens between the TV and the pass out moment varies. Some nights it's making up stories based on prompts from this community or that. Other nights it's making icons and banners from my favourite shows. Most nights it’s playing my favourite MMO and losing myself in the fantasy, chatting away with my guild mates in either voice or private text chats.
This is not the way I had ever imagined my life when I was growing up. I never once imagined that I would be a divorcee before the age of 30. I couldn't possibly have known that my next meaningful relationship would end in a ball of flames. Never would I have believed that my everyday life would be as humdrum, boring, as it is.
I stepped into the elevator today, heading home for another lonely night after my little angel went to bed. I was pretty sure this was a gaming night. The newest expansion pack had just been released and I could be assured of some mindless chatter while slaughtering some evil jawbreaker like eyeballs or dragon shard wyrms in the mystical forests of the game. A little something to kill the loneliness that comes from being a single, working Mom. I hit P1 and I took my usual place, leaning against the back wall with my hands on the chair rail that ran around the interior at about waist height. I couldn't help but wonder, what on earth could you need a railing for in an elevator? The ride from the 25th floor was a long one, all the more time to contemplate my sad existence as I scrolled through the messages on my BlackBerry.
The elevator stopped at almost every floor. Some got on, some got off. No one was looking at me standing against the mirrored glass back of the elevator. I'd made this ride from my cubicle on the 25th floor to the parking garage every day for the last 2 years. I'd made the decision to move to my company's head office as an Analyst when my relationship with my son's father had imploded. It seemed like a good time to start over, to see what this world could offer me if I decided to swim in the ocean instead of this man-made lake I’d been in.
By the 15th floor, I was the only one on the elevator. At 14, another rather harried looking young woman stepped on. I knew that look. It was a lot like mine. She had an overflowing bag, a BlackBerry in hand, and a bunch of files tucked under one arm. A little ‘light’ reading for the evening - oh yeah, I’d rocked that look. The elevator continued downward as the little indicator light flashed ever brighter on my BlackBerry. There was always another message, another email, something else that required my attention.
13
We both rode on in silence. She was checking her messages, I stood basking in the glow of the previous 10 floors worth of messages I’d cleared. It was hard not to take work home. I kind of wished someone had told me that when I’d started this job two years prior. I still wished someone would tell me not to bring work home. That time was for my family and there was no way that my job was that important.
12
I blew bubbles with my chewing gum. She blew her bangs from her face.
11
The downward motion began to slow. Looks like there would be more people joining our nice, quiet ride to the garage. The more I looked over at her, the more I wanted to introduce myself. Make small talk. Ask about her day.
Make a friend…
10
The elevator stopped. The door opened revealing the 10th floor lobby. The empty tenth floor lobby.
“Unbelievable! Always happens when you’re leaving late, doesn’t it?” my fellow rider complained and stepped forward to press the button to close the doors.
“Always,” I smiled, commiserating with her for just a moment. It was the best I could do considering her current attitude. Why should I add to the frazzled, crazy, chaotic state of her life with any pressure of friendship? Or even of conversation?
The doors slid closed and the elevator lurched noticeably as it prepared to continue its descent. We both grabbed the railing to steady ourselves. The floor rocked beneath us. A loud, cavernous creaking sound emitted from the shaft like a groan.
“What the -“my fellow rider began, but the point was moot.
The elevator began to plummet towards the earth. The sheer force of gravity pushed us to our respective walls. The files that had been tucked beneath her arm were now flying through the air, the papers flapping here and there, reminiscent of a wind tunnel. Sheer panic set in. I let out a blood curdling scream. My companion’s arm stretched out towards the control panel, finger zoning in on the red ‘Stop’ button.
It felt like an eternity but her finger connected with the button. Please God, don’t let me die like this! You know that sound? That screeching, squeaking sound that happens when the brakes on your car need to be changed? The elevator started to slow, screeching as the brakes tried to catch hold and stop the careening car on its cables. The force of the stopping car felt like to was pushing me into the floor. Rocking violently, the car finally stopped somewhere between the 2nd and 3rd floors. The shrill sound of the alarm rang out as we sat on the floor of the car with my companion’s papers floating to the ground around us.
“Are - are you OK?” I managed to croak out weakly. She was rubbing the back of her head. I had seen it connect with the rail on the wall of the elevator on her way down to the floor.
That had to have hurt.
She might have a concussion…
“I - I think so…” she continued to rub the back of her head. I was checking for any signs that she may be bleeding covertly in the mirror through the dim haze of the emergency lighting. I couldn’t see any from my vantage point, but then again it was pretty dark in here.
That alarm isn’t anywhere near as loud as I thought it would be…
I slid myself across the floor; terrified to stand for fear that we would continue to fall. Normally, I would argue with anyone over the safety of an elevator but even I was beginning to question whether my response was sane after what had just happened. It’ll be a while before I get in an elevator again… I could see the control panel - there had to be a call button or something on there… There just had to be.
“Wha - What are you doing?” my companion spoke again. That was a good sign. I should probably try to keep her focused and talking - that way if she does have a concussion… Geez, what am I going to do about that? I can keep her conscious until the paramedics get here, I guess. If they ever get here…
“There’s gotta be a call button or something that will connect us with the security desk or the maintenance desk,” I was muttering more to myself than to answer her question, but it was a semblance of a conversation. “My name is Sarah, what’s yours?”
“Abigail,” she said softly. Abigail had stopped rubbing the back of her head and sat staring at me, shifting my ass across the floor - sliding from one cheek to the other until I reached the panel.
“Well, Abigail,” I began, “I don’t see a damned thing to help us here. You don’t happen to know the extension for Security do you?” I looked over, my shoulder at her. There was only one button that had any meaning in any sort of catastrophe - ‘Emergency Stop.’ It was amazing that they could get away with that in this day and age. Didn’t they have call buttons on just about everything these days?
Abigail learned forward, her eyes squinting as if she needed to confirm what I had just said with her own eyes. “Seriously?”
“Seriously!”
“Yeah, I think I do,” she said as she fumbled for her BlackBerry on the ground and scooped it up pushing buttons left, right and centre. I knew she was entering her passcode - company issue BlackBerry’s required a secure password to access the network. It was a constant virtual private network in the 4G realm. “Sorry, it’s a password change day.” She shook her head and chuckled as she started pressing keys again.
I let out a deep, breathy laugh and tilted my head back until it was resting against the wall. I completely understood password day. Once every three months the company made us change our passwords to almost every electronic device and software program we had access to. They thought that it would keep things secure and safe. The Data Security department could always tell when the most common days for password changes were - they were incredibly busy.
“I think this is -“ Abigail started. When she didn’t continue I dropped my head to look at her. She was staring at the phone and frowning.
“What is it?” I asked cautiously. I was terrified she was going to tell me her battery was dead, there was no reception, or that she didn’t have the number.
“Sorry - text from my sister - I was about to say,” she said softly, “that I think this is the number we need.” Abigail hit the ‘Call’ button and placed the phone on speaker. It rang.
And it rang…
“Seriously?” The words spat out of my mouth like fire. My patience had run out. Who really wants to be stuck in an elevator anyways? Not me!
I pushed myself up off the floor none too carefully and took the three steps to the door in the blink of an eye. Raising my hands I started banging on the door and calling out for help. Within seconds, Abigail was beside me doing the same.
“Heeelllllllpppppp!” I called.
“Please, we’re stuck in here! Is anybody out there?” Abigail chimed in after me.
We alternated our calls in a rhythm. It was hard to tell if anyone could hear us; the alarm that was screeching outside the elevator car was piercing and incredibly loud. I began to doubt any one would hear us. Not normally one to give in to despair, I continued to bang on the door, but instead of calling out, I let out quiet sobs. No one could hear my tears; even Abigail seemed oblivious to them as she kept calling out, louder than before.
I sank to the floor unable to control the sobs wracking my body. Please God, I’m too young to die…
“Helllp! Please!” Abigail’s voice was hoarse and breaking. She’d continued on for so long without me. I felt horrible for caving and collapsing on her, but I was terrified.
“I’m scared too, you know,” she sobbed out as she turned and pressed her back to the doors and sank down to the floor. It was then that I could see the tears, see the sobs shaking her to the core as well.
“I never doubted you were,” I replied softly, “I just think you’re a whole hell of a lot stronger than I am.” My head dropped to the floor, tears streaming down my face. It’s amazing the courage you find to speak when you’re life is at risk.
“Hmmm,” her voice was soft and wispy, “No, not stronger.” She shook her head with almost a chuckle. I raised my head to look at her, unable to believe that she was laughing. She definitely was a stronger person than I; it took strength to make light of something like this.
“I have a daughter, Meghan” she began, her voice cracking under the stress of the situation, “She’ll be two in a couple of weeks. I was hurrying to get out of here so that I could go and pick up her birthday present and drop it at my Mom’s to hide it until her party.”
“I have a son, Jackson and he’s almost two as well. He means everything to me. I was on my way to pick him up. I commute in almost an hour every day and I spend that whole drive time wondering what we’ll do today.”
“Are you a single Mom, Sarah? I didn’t notice a ring…”
“Yeah, and I don’t notice one on your finger either. You too?”
“Yup,” Abigail said proudly. “Her father wasn’t any prize.”
“Jackson’s wasn’t either,” and I laughed. It was amazing really. Sitting here, swapping my life story with Abigail, I let go of the fear and I actually laughed. She was taking my mind off it, and hopefully I was doing the same for her.
“Funny, I’ve seen you every day for the last two years in this elevator and we’ve never spoken. We should talk more - we have a lot in common, Sarah.”
The sound was faint but it was there.
“Shhhh, do you hear that?”
Muffled, but it truly was there. It was the sound of rescue.
“Yeah, Sarah, I do. I do.”
We smiled at each other. Abigail rose before I did and stretched out her hand to help raise me to my feet. We both resumed banging against the door and crying out, “We’re in here! Help!”
Help was on its way, and soon we would be home with our families doing the same old boring things we did day in and day out. Only now, they didn’t seem so boring. Now, everyday life seemed more beautiful and less boring.
I will never take a moment with my son for granted again.
“Hey Abigail,” I stopped and turned to her.
“Yeah?”
“I’m on 25 - extension 7008… If you ever want to grab a coffee and have a chat…”
She pulled her BlackBerry into her hands and keyed in the information and smiled.
“7725 - I’m actually on 23; I had an interview today. Coffee sounds good. You can tell me some more about your little man and I can tell you about my little princess.”
“Hang on ladies; we’re going to get you out of there!”
They were getting closer. We were going to be okay. The best part of being trapped in that elevator was making a new friend.