Between Floors
A corporate morning takes a perilous turn when five professionals become trapped in a stalled elevator, their carefully maintained facades and rigid hierarchies unraveling in the suffocating heat and creeping panic. Forced into an uneasy alliance, they confront personal demons and longstanding grudges while rallying together for a daring rescue, ultimately transforming a crisis into a catalyst for connection and redemption.
By MyAudioBooks.ai ยท
This free listen has rotated out. The story remains available to read.
Astori Publishing Presents: Between Floors Ava entered the lobby of Northwood Financial Tower at 8:45 sharp, woven satchel hooked tight over one arm, coffee in her opposite hand. The line at security moved with the ponderous, indifferent rhythm of every weekday morning. She greeted the guards with just enough politeness, careful not to overstep into real warmth. Her heels sent brief, decisive echoes off the granite. She checked her reflection in the elevatoras mirrored doors: hair faultless, posture upright, a tension at the edge of her brow that never entirely faded. Perfection, as close as she could manage it. Maya arrived nextaa junior copywriter, phone aglow, thumbs dancing. She gave Ava a quick nod, brushing a loose curl behind one ear. Determined cheer colored her voice, but her face wore the exhaustion of deadlines survived on caffeine and luck. aMorning, Ava.a Ava returned the greeting, barely glancing away from the glowing panel mapping the elevatoras approach. Maya leaned into the marble, exhaling as though the day demanded an early concession. The elevator doors parted with a soft sigh. Out strode a tall man with sharp silver hair, navy suit immaculate, his gold watch a precise fit for his wrist. Charles hesitated, assessingajust long enough to suggest he ranked the room, even if only for a heartbeat. Ava recognized him from the last department briefing; he returned her look with a nod that stopped short of openness. aCharles, right?a she said. He paused, dry-throated. aYes, Ms. Lawson. Glad we caught the same ride.a There was a formality therearespect edged with calculation. They entered the car. A hush thickened between them, punctuated only by the muted tap of Charlesas notifications. The doors began to close, but a shout cut through the quietaaHold up!aaas a broad, grease-lined hand jammed into the gap. Luis Delgado, maintenance uniform crisp, slipped inside, apologizing with a half-grin. He smelled faintly of oil and dust, a man already acquainted with the bowels of the building before most had breakfast. aAppreciate it,a he said. aCanat wait all morning. Too much stacked up.a Charles responded with a noncommittal sniff, eyes already on the LED display. Ava offered a thin smile. She punched in thirty-nine. Maya followed with thirty-eight. Charles added forty, doing nothing to hide the priority he felt entitled to. Luis, satisfied with proximity to his stop, jabbed the close-door button a couple of times as though coaxing compliance. On nineteen, the elevator paused. Ethan slipped inarumpled, wide-eyed, bag slung low. He fumbled for a charger, ducking his head to avoid Charlesas cold scrutiny. aMorning,a Ethan muttered, barely audible. The group answered with silence, except for Maya, who half-smiled and returned to her phone. The hum of ascent returned, steady and almost soothingauntil the cab shuddered at thirty. Silence fractured as Avaas hand shot to the wall for balance. Luisas eyes narrowed at the panel, a tic of unease running over his brow. They continued upward, seven tense floors. Then, without warning: a violent lurch, the clang of straining metal, lights dimming to a spectral pale. The elevator bucked and stalled between floors, a halt too final for easy remedy. Charles muttered a curse, gripping the rail with a white-knuckled fist. Ethan jabbed at buttonsaDOOR OPEN, CLOSE, any command he could reach. Maya stared at her phone, unbelieving at the empty signal. Luis dropped to his knees before the panel, fingers nimble, mind already calculating. aEither a relay blew, or something snapped the power line,a he said, more to himself than anyone. Ava fought for steadinessavoice, breath, posture. aNo one's panicking,a she declared, as much for herself as for them. aThereas an intercom. Letas call for help.a Fingers steady, she pressed the button. The muffled ring on the other side faded to a dead, static hush. She tried againano answer. Her mind reeled, shadows of old anxiety threading up from someplace deeper. She was back in that thin-carpeted interview waiting room, suit borrowed, nerves singing, replaying her fatheras charge: Donat blow it. She tamped the memory down, jaw tightening. Luis jiggled the receiver. aFeels dead. Probably cut.a Ava nodded, unwilling to show her frustration. aEmergency button,a she said, pressing it with more force than needed. A mechanized voice responded, clipped and distant: aYour call has been received. Please remain calm. Assistance will arrive shortly.a The loop repeated, each round grinding patience thinner, then fell to silence. Mayaas humor slipped. aThatas it? Seriously?a Charles let out a heavy sigh, refusing the panic threading into the air. aAt least weare in the queue.a Ethan swallowed, voice uneasy. aIs it getting warmer in here, ora?a Outside, the silence was a second skin. The faint, constant hiss of HVAC had vanished, leaving air thick and unmoving. The emergency bulbs cast a sallow glow, shadows deepening at everyoneas feet. For a moment, hope seemed as narrow as the gap between floors. The message repeated once, a refrain already losing meaning. aWithin the hour.a The words felt as useless as a closed window. Already, sweat pricked along Avaas neck. The world narrowed to the stilled box, the rising heat, and five bodies tensing for whatever came next. The hush in the stalled car thickened, every breath slick with heat and stale tension. Ava pressed the heel of her hand between her ribs, coaxing herself through the shallow gulps that passed for breathing. Silence stretched obscenely, the kind that had nowhere to go and nothing to soothe it. Five bodies, boxed in by steel and circumstance, each staked out their corners as if an extra inch might promise escape. Luis crouched by the control panel, quiet except for the careful clicks of his screwdriver. Sweat gathered at his brow, drawing new creases down his faceaan engineeras worry, measured and painstaking but not invulnerable. A flutter from Maya broke the stillness. She rocked on her heels, cheeks a shade too pale, phone gripped hard but lifeless. aBet weall all have a hell of a story for Mondayas stand-up,a she offered, voice pitched to levity she didnat possess. Charles, arms folded, issued a bark of laughter sharp as glass. aMonday. Letas hope we see it.a He retreated further into his corner, undoing his collar in a rare breach of formality. Ethan slumped opposite, knees drawn up, scanning the dead face of his phone. The digital pane above the doors flashed a number stranded between floorsaproof of suspension, hands of a clock arrested mid-tick. His gaze lingered, tracking the nothing, jawline taut. Air congealed. Ava ran a thumb beneath her jaw, forcing her posture straight. Shead rehearsed composure for yearsabrushing off blunders, swallowing panicayet felt it now as a brittle veneer. The faces around her, so familiar in the abstract, had become strangers animated by damp skin and unfinished sentences. aHowas it look, Luis?a she managed. His reply thudded with resignation. aMain brakeas holdingathatas why weare not a headline yet. Poweras out in the main line. Maybe a surge, maybe a short.a He eased a fuse out, rolling it between his fingers. aNot fixing that from here.a Mayaas hand slid instinctively to her pocket. She fingered the outline of an inhaler, thumb smoothing across the battered label. She tucked it away, eyes scanning for judgment, then dropped the act of cheer entirely. Ethan tapped his phone. aNo bars. Anyone else?a Charles drew his gold-cased phone, waved it once, and turned it over as if the gesture might will a signal out of thin air. aSteel box. Not our day,a he muttered. Silence bore down again, weighted by the warmth smothering the air. Luis tried the emergency phone; the line was as flat as before. Ava dabbed sweat from her brow with the edge of her wrist, scanning for any sign the outside world remembered their existence. The intercomas staticky loop filled the void. aYour call has been received. Please remain calm. Assistance will arrive shortly.a It sounded less like balm than a dare. aCorporate comfort,a Maya whispered, parody twisting her lips. aMight as well play us elevator music.a Luis blew out a frustrated breath. aCould jerry-rig the bypass with the right key. Locked in the basement, naturally.a He gave a sour shrug and busied himself again. Charlesas patience was shredding. aThe money I pay in taxes and building feesathereas no excuse. Some intern will be late delivering a memo, and rescue wonat matter.a His gaze drifted, eyes clouded, as if calculating longer-term loss. aWe wait,a Ava said, squaring her tone to the group. The words landed flat even to her own ears. Charles gave her a glance, haunted more by fatigue than malice, but the scorn was real enough. He fixated on Maya, who massaged her sternum in small, anxious spirals. Maya stifled a cough, pressing her palm to her mouth. aItas justa?? stuffy,a she explained, inhaler now visible in her grip. Charles saw it. aAsthma?a The word flicked out, abrupt, calculation behind his civility newly visible. Mayaas answer was a minimalist nod, eyes dropping to her shoes. He made a faceadismissive but tinged with nervous self-preservation. aJust keep that handy.a Ava bristled but let the protest gutter unspoken. A useless fight, for now. Heat ratcheted upward. Time thickened between glances, sweat, the uncertain shuffle of shoes along metal floor. Ethan set his hands on his knees, eyes pinballing between everyoneas postures. Luis pressed his palm to the elevator doors, as if he could coax them with patience alone. aSomeone will be fixing this,a Ethan saidamore plea than fact. Charlesas reply was brisk, unforgiving. aThatas the story. Next message will say hour and a half. That is, if anyone bothers.a Maya looked to Luis, seeking assurance. aThey wouldnata??a But her inhaler jumped to her lips before she finished the thought, the hiss of medicine slicing air. aYou shouldnataa Ethan started. But Charles was already in motion, hand burrowing into his inner jacket pocket. Ava recognized the scratch of foil, then the gleam of a white filter before head even spoken. aDonat,a she said, staking the word between intention and plea. aWe can manage without burning up what air weave got.a Charles tapped the cigarette on his watch, knuckles trembling just enough to betray the mask. aYou can. I need a smoke. Donat intend to go quietly mad.a aSeriously, man, you canataa Ethanas voice edged into panic. Charlesas lighter flicked. The spark caught, filling the cab with its first twist of blue-gray smoke. Maya retreated against the wall, coughing, inhaler gripped like a lifeline. Ava felt mounting irritationaanger at Charles, sympathy for Maya, and fury at the smallness of this enclosure that invited such petty betrayals. Ethan rummaged in his bag, hands clumsy, emerging with an old T-shirt. He looped a fold over his nose. aThis is great. Really great.a Charles turned away, expelling smoke in thin, practiced ribbons. aItas one cigarette. Iall be done in three minutes. Not my intent to cause a scene.a Luis, tightening the last screw he could reach, attempted to mediate without looking up. aNobody needs a scene. Letas justa?? manage. Ventilationas running for now.a On cue, an alarm burst overhead, shrill and insistent. The fluorescents flickered, shuddered, then failed, plunging them into a wake of searing red emergency light. Ethan jerked upright. The red glow carved hollows under his eyes; Charlesas lined face grew grave, cigarette arrested mid-draw. Ava felt her pulse skitter. aWhyas it doing that?a Mayaas voice broke, higher now. A moment later, the air handler coughed, wheezed, then gave out for good. The smoke clung heavy, etching circles beneath Mayaas eyes as she fumbled her inhaler for another desperate shot. Charles ground the cigarette under his heel, stare hooded. No apology. Ava pressed both palms flat to her thighs, steadying herself by muscle memory. Her skin prickled; the world shrank to the brittle, red-tinged marrow of the space. They stoodaor collapsedabeneath the new regime of red-lit stasis, five lives clamped in the jaws of something elemental. Sweat, smoke, and silence curdled together. The air had nowhere to go but in and out, slower and slower, as the real ordeal finally proclaimed itself. The sting of sweat tracing down his neck, Ethan pressed his back against the wall. Suit fabric stuck at his collarbones; nothing moved except the ghostly curl of Charlesas spent cigarette. Mayaas breath was jagged. Luis crouched by her, voice pared down and even. aWith me now. Slow in. Hold it. Let it out. Again.a Her fingers gripped his sleeve, desperate for anchor. Ava lingered nearby, posture refusing to wilt though her chest ached. aKeep going,a Luis coaxed, nudging Maya into a shallower rhythm. Charles leaned against the panel, face rigid, arms drawn in tight as if holding something brittle inside. aYou donat care if she canat breathe,a Ethan said quietly, fist knotted. aYou just get your fix and to hell with everyone else.a Charlesas reply was flat. aWeare all short on air. Some of us just handle it better.a Luis looked up, silent warning in his eyes, but Ethan shoved Charles hard into the metal panel. A clatter echoed. Ava stepped in, blocking Ethan, one hand firm on his chest. aEnough.a The word snapped, all steel and frayed edge. Charles collected himself, shame and anger vying in the lines of his face. aTry that again, youall have more than HR to answer to.a Ava jerked her chin at him. aNo oneas calling anyone. Not now. Help me with Maya.a Mayaas inhaler rattled against her teeth. Ava knelt quickly, one hand at Mayaas elbow. aYouare fine. Stay with us.a Luis straightened. aPhones are dead, alarms burned out. Hatch is bolted, but I can try and jimmy it. Only way out is up.a aNeed a linearope, purse straps, power cords,a he said. Ava stripped the strap from her satchel. Ethan followedabelt off with a quick, embarrassed glance. Charles, after a pause, pulled the cord from his laptop case. Maya untied the sash at her waist. They knotted and braided, improvising a rope with clumsy fingers made slick by sweat. Luis tested the length, tugging at each join. aHold, anchor, weave.a In the pauseaAva unfastening her sleeveaher mind leapt again to her father at a pawn-shop window. She looped and tied with new purpose. Mayaas voice broke the silence. aRather try than keep waiting until we canat breathe.a Luis caught her glance, edges softening. aGot guts,a he muttered. The last knots pulled tight. Luis gave the rope a final yank, then reached up for the hatch screws. The panel overhead creaked, the sound ringing sharp in the dark steel car. Five bodies braced as oneaagainst memories, resentments, sweat, and the yawning dark above. Together, they readied for the risk that was left to them. Above them hung risk; beneath, the repetitive percussion of hunger and thirst. Time thickened in the heat. Luis craned his neck, sweat streaking along his temple. He looked up at the hatch, jaw set. aItas not going to open itself,a he said, voice barely more than a scrape. Ethan shifted. aAnyone got water? Or, hell, gum? Iad settle for a cough drop.a Charles searched jacket and briefcase. aWas supposed to have a bottle.a He tucked the lie behind a sigh. Maya rummaged her purse, producing two breath strips. aNot much, but itas mint.a aKeep it,a Ava said, gentler than she felt. Luis flexed his hands. aWe try the hatch.a Ethan handed over a frayed laptop cable. Charles retrieved his sleek cord; Maya tore her jacket lining. Ava unclipped her purse strap. They braided wrist to wrist in shared necessity. Ava stamped one end beneath her heel, tugging hard. It held. aItall work.a Luis ran his palm along the braid. aMore than enough for a harness.a Ava tied the rope at his waist, arms threading the cable with quiet confidence. aOn your word,a Ethan said. Countingalow, tense. On three, Luis heaved upward. The hatch resisted. aAgain,a Ava urged. The panel shuddered, dust sifting down. Luis wedged a screwdriver, chipped paint, and jolted the hatch free. A fissure opened, spilling warm, stale air. aLetas pull him up. Easy,a Ava said. They heaved, coaxing Luis into the shaft. Four sets of hands held, refusing to let go. Luisas fingers found the ragged edge above, the rope digging into his waist. His foot slipped; the sudden sag jolted Ethan, who dropped his weight back, rope burning his palms. aDonat rush it,a Ava said, knuckles white. aWeave got you.a Grimy air met Luis above, thick with old machinery. A maintenance ladder loomed. He caught the lowest rung, climbing rung by rung. He reached a battered service phone, flipped open the cover, yanked the receiver. Static, then a clipped voice: aFire Commandawhoas on this line?a aLuis Delgado. Elevator Four. Weare stalled between thirty-seven and thirty-eight. Five totalafour inside, Iam in the shaft.a aFire crewas en route. Any medical emergencies?a aItas hot. Minor injuries, breathing trouble. Weare holding.a aCopy. Crewas opening car at thirty-eight. Keep off the roof. Weare close.a Relief and vigilance mingling, Luis shuffled back. aFireas at the doors. Stay backatheyall force it from outside.a Below, the rope slackened at last. Mayaas knees gave; Charles slid to one knee. Ava steadied herself; Ethan stood silent in the sticky glow. A clatter rippled through the shaft. A bark rang out: aFire Department! Back up from the doors!a Ethan guided Maya and Ava behind him. Charles crouched by the corner, clutching his briefcase. Light wormed inaa thin ribbon of diluted gold. Metal shrieked. Doors yawned wide. A firefighter anchored a portable ramp. aStep slow. Platform wonat shift. You, first.a Ethan lurched forward, hands catching him. The corridor was cool, smelling of bleach and singed dust. Ava followed, balance shaky but intact. Maya hesitated; the firefighter nodded, gentle. She crossed, fresh air striking tears from her eyes. Charles pressed his case to his side and stepped through. Above, another firefighter leaned in. aOne on the ladder! You ready?a aComing down,a Luis called. Boots skidded sparks. Waiting hands eased him into the corridor. They gathered in a loose knot. Firefighters moved them through cramped halls spattered in mud and wire. Luis turned once, checking the shaftaonly a black, silent box waiting to be reset. A paramedic guided them past a cordon of folding chairs under bruised fluorescent glare. Vinyl tarps half-hid medical kits. Ava kept her arms folded tight while a nurse dabbed antiseptic on a shallow scrape. Charles slumped into a chair, every inch of corporate poise leached into sweat. Maya perched nearby, inhaler in her lap. Luis, jeans grimed, rolled his shoulders through the aftershocks. Ethan hovered by a taped-off pillar, too raw for stillness. aVitals, then you can go,a a nurse told Charles. He huffed, knowing new costs would follow him home. Ava noticed his blank stare but let silence stand. Medics cleared them: hospital optional unless someone insisted. No one wanted another enclosure. They spilled onto the street in a cluster, squinting into punishing midday light. The city churned, indifferent. aI need coffee,a Maya said. aCould go for that,a Ethan agreed. Charles straightened. aLead on. If I go home now I might not get out of bed until tomorrow.a Luis rubbed fresh bandages. aA place to sit not marked by hazard tape sounds perfect.a Ava nodded. aThereas a diner up the block.a Inside, a booth and two mismatched chairs served as home base. Menus stayed open and unread. Relief lay in each breath, in cheap ceramic cups, in the hum of the dineras fan. Charles broke the spell. aThis is supposed to be my retirement day,a he said, almost surprised. aCake, speeches. Feels a hundred years off.a Ethan looked up. aSorry about earlier. I lost it.a aYou found some backbone,a Charles said. aNo apology needed.a Maya sipped her cappuccino. aI didnat even finish my client deck. Doubt atrapped in an elevatora counts as a timesheet entry.a Luis shrugged. aYou can claim anything twice on a work order before they notice.a Ava, hands around her tea, surprised herself. aMy father called last week. I never called back. After this... I will tonight.a A silent assent hummed through the group. Food arrived, more anchor than meal. Midway through, Maya confessed, aAsthma medicineas expensive. Iave been splitting doses.a aDo you want help?a Ava asked. aMaybe,a Maya whispered. Charles cleared his throat. aIf you need better benefits, I know people.a Luis admitted, aIave got a boy whoas stopped talking to me. I keep saying Iall fix things after the next overtime shift. After that elevator, Iam calling him tonight.a aDo it,a Ethan said. When the bill came, Charles left enough cash for well more than the tip. Maya pointed at him with her fork. aIall get the check next year.a On the curb, Ethan asked, aDo we keep in touch?a Ava studied them. aSame date, next year, outside the building. Call it an anniver-scary.a Luis laughed. aIf we survive another twelve months.a aJune sixteenth, then,a Charles said. aSounds right,a Maya agreed. They broke off in ones and twosaEthan offering Maya a ride, Luis pausing by the barricaded doors, Charles hailing a cab. Ava lingered, pulse steadying, heaviness lifting. On the way home, she dialed her father; he picked up on the second ring. * June sixteenth, one year later. The cityas edge glowed with new sunlight. Ava stood outside the buildingajacket freshly pressed, nerves less soaas the hour crept past seven. She smoothed the mended seam on her sleeve, the ghost of that day sharp but not unwelcome. Footsteps neared. Luis, hair clipped short, greeted her with a crooked grin and a bakery bag. aCame early. My kidas visiting next weekend; figured Iad catch the quiet.a Maya appeared next, curls bouncing, inhaler clipped. aDonat tell anyone, but I nearly bailed at the corner.a Charles arrived by car, jacket casual, no tie. aWoke at six without an alarm. For the first time in years, it felt right.a The lines around his eyes had softened. Last was Ethan, backpack brimming with books. aEarly class ran late. I couldnat miss this.a They huddled outside the glass doors, awkward for a second, then easy. Luis offered pastries; Maya produced paper cups. Charles tapped his knuckles on the glass. aThought about going inside, see if anyone remembers me. Iad rather stay here.a Ethan lifted his coffee. aTo surviving weird anniversaries.a Ava reached for her cup. aTo everything after.a aAnyone notice nothing feels quite as hard as it used to?a Luis asked. aDonat jinx us,a Maya laughed. They driftedaMaya scouting the reopened diner, Ethan promising graduation photos, Charles mentioning a trip to Maine, Luis planning a barbecue with his son. Before parting, they promised: same time, next year. Ava lingered, sunlight pooling at her feet. Panic and steel were still there, but now they shaped themselves into something steadier. Her phone buzzedaa text from Maya: aYou bring pastries next year?a Ava laughed, pocketed her phone, and stepped into the cityas surge, already counting the days until the circle would gather again. Thank you for choosing Astori Publishing.