Short Stories to Read in Your Free Time

The Elevator

DISCLAIMER - I own none of the characters, settings, or general plot of this story. I merely own the ending.

Story Overview

This story is a continuation of another short story, titled "The Elevator". You can read it here -https://www.humbleisd.net/cms/lib2/TX01001414/Centricity/Domain/2669/The_Elevator.pdf

My grade on this short story was 94%, due to some simple spelling mistakes (which have been fixed) and a 'plot misdirection'. Basically, the teacher didn't like the fact that I left it at a cliffhanger, which I did intentionally. I did this due to the fact that the original story is also left at a major cliffhanger, and I was supposed to be following the writer's style. I was only allowed two pages and had to follow the MLA writing format. Overall, I am very proud of this short story. Enjoy!

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Martin swallowed nervously, adjusting his crutches with a rather unmanly squeak. A loud siren blasted his eardrums, causing the entire elevator to creak and groan. The already loud noise echoed weirdly around the small enclosure, making it seem a hundred times louder than it actually was. Martin slowly sank down into his baggy sweatshirt, the sound of his heart pounding the only thing louder than the siren.

Taking a deep breath, he thought of what his father would say if he saw Martin now. He'd probably laugh and call him a coward. Martin wanted to prove him wrong. "What do you want?" he said, jutting his chin up with a fake scowl.

    The fat lady looked at him through her beady blue eyes, amusement crossing her facial features. "Dear child," she murmured, her entire body shaking with laughter, causing her enormous fat rolls to bounce up and down. "You don't have to be afraid me."

    Martin continued to slowly inch away from the fat lady, the scowl still resting on his lips. He hoped that he appeared strong and brave to her instead of how he really felt - terrified and anxious. "Wha-what do you mean?" He trembled, his voice cracking mid-sentence. The fat lady took her time to answer, carefully examining every one of Martin's features. Her gaze seemed to stare into his soul, open it up like a book, and view every single one of his fears, his insecurities, his despair, and even the small sliver of happiness that still remained in his heart. When she finally spoke, what she said sent shivers down Martin's spine.

    "I'm your guardian angel, Martin," she said. Even though Martin was still scared of the fat lady, he managed to let out a loud laugh. The idea just seemed so ridiculous and unreal, the stuff of storybooks and little kids imaginations. The fat lady noticed his disbelief, and let her large lips relax into a thin smile. "The authorities are on their way already, they'll save you."
    Martin opened his mouth to ask why he needed to be saved when suddenly a sharp pain stabbed him in the chest. Crumpling to the ground, Martin flailed out his limbs, desperation clouding his senses. His lungs frantically contracted in hopes of getting oxygen into his body, and he felt darkness pressing on the edges of his vision.

    What's happening to me, he attempted to choke out. The sound of the siren wailing was gradually fading away, as fatigue pinned him to the floor. The faint sound of a door opening and voices gasping reached his ears, and large hands pressed against his heart in quick compressions.

The last thing that Martin felt before blacking out was the presence of the fat lady beside him.