Stuck in the lift | Short essay, story for kids | Elijah Wee | Singapore

"Stuck in the lift" - an experience I am sure a number of you may be able to relate to ... but in this particular case though, it was a little worse than the usual one ... 

            Brave.

            I had always thought I was brave. As brave as a lion. Not fearful of anything.

            Until the lift had broken down.

            I was waiting patiently for the lift doors to open. A mother and her daughter waited patiently. The mother, clad in a light blue dress made of best quality material, clutched her daughter’s hand. Her lustrous blond hair cascaded down her well-toned shoulders. My innermost thoughts were soon jolted by the familiar mechanical sound of the lift’s doors opening. If only I had reconsidered taking the stairs …

            Accompanied by the monotonous whirring sounds of the lift’s mechanical system, we were each absorbed in our thoughts as we looked on at the ascending numbers flashing in sequence on the lift display. Bump! Just as the lift was about to reach the tenth floor, it jerked to an abrupt halt.

            All of us were caught by surprise. Before we could even regain our composure, the lift was enveloped in darkness. Instantly, the young girl burst into tears. Her mother tried to console her.

            The sea of darkness was suffocating. Fear ripped through my throat, robbing me of all oxygen.

            Trying to stay as calm as a cat, I pressed my ears close to the door, hoping to hear sounds of any activity outside. However, worse tidings were yet to come …

            Out of the blue, agonizing bouts of pain began to rip through my otherwise relaxed stomach. At that juncture, it felt as if a tornado was raging in my stomach. Unable to take the excruciating pain any longer, all remnants of my initial bravado vanished. Instantly, I pounded incessantly on the stubborn lift’s doors, fear gnawing at me.

            I was almost about to give up hope when a helpful voice rang out in the darkness, “Is there anybody in the lift?” When I answered that people had indeed been trapped in the lift, the faceless speaker reassured us that help was on its way to us. At that moment, all the tension in my muscles eased, and I felt as if a hundred pound weight had been lifted off my chest. As if in agreement the mother’s distraught daughter stopped her incessant crying too.

            It was not long before I heard voices outside again. My eyes were fixed onto the lift’s doors, which were opening at a painfully slow speed. Once the doors were opened, I dashed out like a bullet from a revolver, much to the lift technician’s surprise. Mumbling a grateful word of thanks to the technicians, I headed immediately towards the safe embrace of my home toilet in world-record speed.

            Having had to ensure such an unnerving experience during the lift breakdown, I often deliberated since then whether to take the lift or climb the stairs. This incident had also proven me wrong on something I had not have a handle on. I am really not that …

            Brave.

How did you find this story? ;-)

See you next time,

Elijah Wee, Singapore

Photo credit: hodgers / Foter.com / CC BY-SA