The Elevator

The elevator doors slid shut with a soft thud, sealing Alex inside. The small, metallic box was barely large enough to fit three people comfortably, but today, Alex was alone. The air felt thick, and the faint hum of the elevator's machinery was the only sound breaking the silence.

Alex had always hated small spaces. The fear had started in his childhood, after an incident in a cramped attic. Alex had been playing hide-and-seek with his friends when the attic door accidentally locked behind him. Hours passed before anyone found him, and the darkness and isolation left a lasting scar. Now, as an adult, the fear had evolved into a full-blown phobia. But today, there was no choice. The meeting on the 15th floor was too important to miss.

As the elevator began its ascent, Alex's heart rate quickened. The numbers above the door blinked slowly: 2... 3... 4... Each floor felt like an eternity. Alex's breathing grew shallow, and beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

Suddenly, the elevator jolted to a stop. The lights flickered and then went out, plunging Alex into darkness. Panic surged through his veins. Alex fumbled for the emergency button, pressing it repeatedly, but there was no response. The silence was deafening.

"Stay calm," Alex whispered to himself, trying to steady his breathing. But the walls felt like they were closing in, and the air seemed to grow thinner with each passing second. Alex's mind raced with thoughts of being trapped forever, of running out of air, of never being found.

Seconds felt like minutes and minutes felt like hours. Just as Alex was about to succumb to the overwhelming fear, the lights flickered back on. The elevator jerked and resumed its ascent. Alex's heart pounded in his chest, but relief washed over him.

The elevator finally stopped at the 15th floor "just in time." Alex thought while looking at his watch, but the doors never opened, Alex pressed the button repeatedly just like before, but the doors stayed shut he tried to pry open the doors but to no avail as he began pressing the emergency button trying to call for help the lights flickered once again and he sat in the corner remembering what it was like playing hid and seek and hiding in the attic, how no one found him for hours some friends called him the best hider they'd ever met but others called him a cheater for locking the door even though he wasn't the one who did it.

Then the elevator doors opened, pulling him out of his thoughts. Alex jumped up and ran out the doors, through the hallway and got to the meeting room. He opened the door, well his eyes and he was back in the elevator.