30
THE LEGACY
Elevator
Alyssa Nicole Erskine The girl blinks, walking in from the sunlight to a dark lobby. There are starburst aftereffects, clouding her vision—even so, she deftly slides around the corner half blinded and strides rapidly towards the elevators. Both doors stand open. A man—perhaps young, perhaps not—stands in front of the elevators a dozen feet away, facing in the opposite direction. His body angles away from her; it indicates his disinterest even more than his lack of movement. She doesn’t really look at him, only registers that he is not in her way and is not heading for the open doors that are her destination. Her shoulder curves, her foot takes the step to lead her towards the elevator, and he turns to look at her, sending her sudden waves of attention and intention. —cold sweat— she doesn’t look back, but she feels it in a shudder down her spine—and her heart sinks. She’s on the elevator now and pushes the button, wills the doors to close, wills him not to appear, watches the “4” light up on the bank of lights —he’ll see it— apprehensively watches the doors pause an eternity, slowly slide almost shut until a shoulder shoves between them, almost too late to make it, but he does and he’s on, and she asks him what floor; can’t stop being polite, but now she feels irrational panic —always knew the doors would open if you were caught between them— silently curses the lit button that tells him where she’s going. He looks at the bank of lights, the telltale bright circle, and replies “four” but she barely registers it except as affirmation she doesn’t want, already caught up in furious rationalizing. And yet, her rational shudders under the heavy scrutiny from the corner of the elevator, insisting that his intentions are screaming a warning —I don’t know how I know I’m right, but I do— elevator rises and she keeps a tight rein on the panic that still blooms where it began the second he looked at her, and she sees his subtle intent body language, she knows what happens next and there is rage with the fear
