The Elevator By William Sleator Novels & Stories

"They think we'll try to leave through the front or make a stand in the penthouse. They don't know about this elevator." "How do you know?" "Because I designed it that way. Built it into the renovation plans under a different contractor. Off the books." The elevator jolted slightly as it descended past the main lobby level. Lower. Into the subbasement. Elara's hand went to her pocket. The letter was still there. Safe. But would they be? The elevator slowed. Stopped. The doors opened onto a dimly lit parking garage. Concrete pillars cast long shadows. Flickering fluorescent lights made everything look sickly and unreal.

"Your father has the elevators locked down from the top. He’s using the emergency override." "Not for long," Elena said, stepping toward the control panel. She pulled a small device from her pocket—a hardware bypass she had built in the penthouse workshop—and jammed it into the elevator’s maintenance port. "He thinks he owns the hardware. He forgot I own the soul of this building."

Instead, she felt like a high-value prisoner being transferred to a much more expensive cell. The elevator in the garage lacked a traditional floor panel. It recognized Graves’s biometric scan, and the doors slid shut with a pneumatic hiss. The ascent was silent and pressurized, making Elena’s stomach drop. When the doors finally opened, she didn't step into a hallway. She stepped directly into a world that felt like a fever dream of wealth and isolation.

The driver sped off toward her destination. At the company, Evelyn paid the fare and entered the building. Standing before the elevator that would take her to the top floor—where the chairman’s office was—she fidgeted nervously. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the elevator. The elevator ascended smoothly, carrying her to the top floor. She stepped out and walked down the corridor toward the office door. Inside, Maxwell was not yet there. A few minutes later, Maxwell arrived. Evelyn immediately rose to her feet. "Good morning, sir," she greeted quickly.

That old-building sound of cables and pulleys working. Madison's hand finds mine. Her fingers small and warm. The elevator arrives. The doors open with a sound that's too loud. I hold them. Gesture for the children to enter first. They file in. Alexander first, clutching his elephant. Madison second, still holding my hand until the last possible moment. Ethan last, with Gas walking calmly beside him. The elevator is small. Old. The kind with brass fixtures that have gone dull with age. A mirror on the back wall that's spotted with something—age or cleaning product or both.

Priscilla informed him that she was in her room, feeling unwell. Caleb and Dean hurried towards the elevator, their steps purposeful, their faces etched with concern. I knew Dean was eager for Jovielyn to meet her grandson, and I couldn't help but anticipate her reaction. The elevator, a relic of a bygone era, creaked its way upwards, its slow ascent mirroring the weight of the moment.

“Rainelle is expecting us, and we’re to go on in.” North clung to Eli’s hand as he led her between the two guards. There was nothing overtly threatening about them, and she thought the one on the left even winked at her, but she was still unnerved by the strangeness of their appearance. She managed a shaky smile, but let out a breath of relief as soon as she was inside the large elevator. It must’ve been designed to transport shipments of items as well as people, because it was large enough for all six of them and still had room for a dozen of their closest friends. The elevator felt like it lumbered up the side of the mountain, and she took advantage of the slowness of the ride to ask Eli,

As the massive apparatus continued to glide downward, Dave shouted above the din. "Good!" Hugh and Elizabeth looked at each other, then smirked, while Eddie looked worried. Shawn was suspicious, but he was eager to see where the lift would take them. As they sank into a shaft cut neatly into the sandstone, the ground above was gone. Then, along the border of the moving surface, a gap appeared, growing wider and wider until the old elevator came to a standstill with a thud. The passengers' gaze carefully probed the dark recesses of the room. Two massive golden obelisks rested on either side of the stone lift, pointing gloriously towards the room's ceiling. Their spotlights and torches flashed

Edward urged again, “When the elevator reaches the bottom floor, you’ll see a tunnel. Follow the tunnel and you’ll be outside soon. There is no signal down there, but don’t be scared. I’ll go pick you up very soon.” It never occurred in Vivian’s wildest dreams that there would be an elevator hidden inside Edward’s study. Nevertheless, she knew now was not the right time to think about something like this. She followed Edward’s instructions. The moment she pressed the button on the control panel, the bookshelf and the metal door closed automatically. After that, the elevator began descending. She took a look at her phone, and just like Edward said, there was no signal down here. As such, she

He turned towards another elevator across the room and Elena followed him like a chick following its mother. “Is it different?” “The view is different,” Daniel said, and as they were there, the elevator doors dinged and opened. She understood immediately. “Woah… this view looks out over the city!” She said as they walked into the elevator, closer to the glass wall. The elevator in this building was truly unique, and Elena loved it, even though she was a little afraid. Half of the elevator's walls were made of thick glass, allowing anyone who rode it to see outside. This was the second time Zachary had taken her to his downtown office. However, she always felt both goosebumps and excitement a