Floor 13

Monday, June 12

*Ding*

The doors slowly slide open for me to sidle my way into the crowded elevator full of the same grey suit and black tie that I’ve worn everyday for the last six years.

“17 please,” I say to the man standing closest to the buttons. He obliges with a quick nod and a heavy sigh as the button lights up. Four lights from here to my stop, and only one stop above that - a stop that I assume must be his. The pulleys whir as the elevator ascends.

Floor 11 - stop

Floor 12 - stop

Floor 15 - stop

Floor 17 - me.

Tuesday, June 13

*Ding*

The doors slowly slide open for me to sidle my way into the crowded elevator full of the same grey suit and black tie that I’ve worn everyday for the last six years.

“17 please,” I say to the woman standing closest to the buttons. She obliges with a quick nod as the button lights up. Only two lights from here to my stop, and only one stop above that - a stop that I assume must belong to the man in the opposite corner due to his heavy sigh. The pulleys whir as the elevator ascends.

Floor 6 - stop

Floor 12 - stop

“You know,” I say quietly to the man, trying to break the tension, “I’ve never seen anyone get off at floor 13. Isn’t that weird?”

He doesn’t answer.

Floor 17 - me.

Wednesday, June 14

*Ding*

The doors slowly slide open for me to sidle my way into the crowded elevator full of the same grey suit and black tie that I’ve worn everyday for the last six years.

“17 please,” I say to the man closest to the buttons. He nods and the button lights up. Only seven stops from here to my stop, none above me. The pulleys whir as the elevator ascends.

Floor 10 - stop

Floor 11 - stop

Floor 12 - stop

Floor 14 - stop

Floor 15 - stop

“Hey,” I begin to the two people still on board, “have you ever seen anybody get off at floor 13?” Nobody answers. They just look at me wordlessly. The woman looks a little shocked.

“No?” I ask, “Have you not?”

Just stares. Then an answer. “No. Nobody gets off at 13”

Floor 17 - me.

Thursday, June 15

*Ding*

The doors slowly slide open for me to sidle my way into the crowded elevator full of the same grey suit and black tie that I’ve worn everyday for the last six years.

“17 please,” I say to the man closest to the button. He nods and the button lights up. Only seven stops from here to my stop. The pulleys whir as the elevator ascends.

Floor 9 - stop

Floor 10 - stop

“Actually, I’m so sorry, I’m floor 13.”

Every head in the elevator turns to face me, their pupils dilate as they stare.

Floor 11 - stop

“Um. Sorry. Floor 13 please?” I ask, quieter. The finger pushes the button, the number lights up.

I check the top of the elevator, above the door, as the number changes.

Floor 12 - stop

I watch as the number increases from 12 to 13. And then…

Floor 14 - stop.

“Wait. What?” I ask as the elevator continues. I saw the number increase. I saw us reach floor 13. I saw the button’s light go out. But the elevator didn’t stop.

Floor 17 - me.

Friday, June 16

*Ding*

The doors slowly slide open for me to sidle my way into the crowded elevator full of the same grey suit and black tie that I’ve worn everyday for the last six years.

“Floor 13,” I say. Every head in the elevator turns to face me, their pupils dilate as they stare.

“13,” I reiterate. The finger pushes the button, the number lights up.

I watch the numbers change like a hawk.

Floor 8 - stop

Floor 9 - stop

Floor 12 - stop

Floor 14 - stop.

NO! The numbers changed. 13 passed. Why didn’t the elevator stop? I know the button was pushed. I know the number passed. Why didn’t it stop?

Everyone is off. I’m the last one on the elevator. I move to the buttons. I push 13. I watch the numbers decrease as the elevator whirs back down towards the ground level. 16, 15, 14, 12, 11, 10. The elevator descends back to the ground floor. I jam the button again, pressing it hard until I feel the push of the spring against the wall.

I watch the numbers change. 8, 9, 10. I pose my finger above the emergency stop. 11, 12. I jam the button as I see the 13 appear. The gears scrape as the elevator grinds to a stop, sending my body lurching.

The doors open to floor 13. I walk forward into the room. The doors close behind me. The pulleys whir as the elevator ascends.

Floor 13 - me.