Fear of Boxes

Okay, so here's a short moment that I'm working on developing into a full-blown story. I don't know much about the story, so I can't give you much background--I'm still developing it. I still haven't found character names. But this will probably be a chapter of something I write:


“I’m surprised to see you here.” A hint of humor contaminated the astonishment in his voice.

I didn’t see anything funny about the situation. “I could say the same to you,” I replied, careful to keep my words emotionless while I traced the grains of the wood floor.

He laughed. “No, I mean I’m surprised that you’re on an elevator.”

“I don’t know what you mean by that,” I said, tightening my already tense jaw.

“Well, let’s see...” I watched through my peripheral vision as he leaned against the elevator wall, folding one arm across his chest and rubbing his chin with the other hand. “Last time I checked, you had severe elevator-phobia.”

I turn to him, glaring a thousand ice-daggers at him. “So what? That was the last time you checked. I’m over it now.” My irritation seeped through my teeth.

He raised his hands defensively. “Okay, okay,” he said, shaking his head. “I guess I could be wrong. It just surprised me, that’s all. People don’t usually get over that kind of stuff.”

“Well, I did. It’s just a box that moves. Besides, I don’t like climbing the stairs, so of course I’m on the elevator.”

“I thought you said using the stairs was a good workout.”

“Maybe I don’t like good workouts.”

“So you like bad ones?”

“Don’t get smart with me!” I hissed. “How can you even joke around right now? You just showed up out of nowhere and you expect me to be all buddy-buddy with you? No. I don’t know what you’re doing here, but leave me alone!”

“Are you sure you’re not afraid of elevators anymore? You’re getting pretty testy.”

“It has nothing to do with the elevator!” I half-shouted, throwing my arms down in a tantrum. “It’s you!”

He looked smug for some odd reason that I didn’t understand. “What floor are you?” He asked calmly.

“I’m not telling you,” I replied childishly.

“Relax. I’m not asking so I can stalk you or anything. I’m asking so I can push the button. We haven’t moved this whole time.”

My stomach dropped. We hadn’t moved? “I pushed the button before you got on.”

“You did?” We both looked toward the buttons.

“Yeah, and you pushed one when you got on, too.” None of the lights were lit.

“Maybe I didn’t push it hard enough.”

I held my breath as he reached. He pushed the button.

Nothing happened.

He pushed the button again. And again.

“Huh. I guess it’s stuck,” he muttered.

The walls contracted slightly and spun around me. “Stuck?” I squeaked. I cleared my throat. “What do you mean stuck?” My voice didn’t squeak so much this time, but it quivered a bit.

His gaze met mine urgently. “Well, not stuck, really. It’s just...we’re just...”

“We’re stuck,” I supplied. There was no denying it. I was stuck in an elevator, and I would never get out.

“Well, yeah, but it’s okay,” he said as he pushed the emergency button. “This happens all the time. We’ll be out of here before you know it.”

“Right, we’ll be fine. Right,” I repeated, trying to convince myself.

“Hey, look at me.”

I couldn’t look at him. I was terrified, absolutely terrified. We were going to die.

“Look at me,” he repeated.

I shook my head. I wouldn’t look at him for several reasons. First of all, who was he to tell me what to do? Secondly, he would see how scared I was and then he’d laugh at me, the girl who supposedly wasn’t afraid of elevators anymore. And third, I was literally frozen in place—it was all I could do to keep breathing.

Suddenly a strong set of hands turned me toward the man I wanted to kill. He searched my eyes, but instead of laughing, he cursed.

“Dammit, I said you’re going to be fine. It’s just a box that moves, right?”

“But it’s not moving,” I whimpered.

“Not right now, but it will. I pushed the emergency button. People are coming. They’ll fix it, and then you don’t have to ever get in this box again.”

I nodded. Or at least I tried to nod. I’m not sure if my head moved at all. “I think I need to sit down,” I said slowly. He let go of me and I slumped to the floor.

He stood there, staring at me for a moment before he sat down on the other side of the elevator. He continued staring at me, but at least he was on the other side of the elevator. At least he was giving me as much space as he could in this stupid box. I put my head between my knees and focused on my breathing again.