The Elevator

The Elevator: A short story

To be the person who single handedly impacted the unachievable change of reality is truly extraordinary. The day which one of the largest influential companies in the world vanished from existence overnight, is one unforgettable day, it changed the course out of which life is going, and made everyone believe no matter what, change is inevitable. And what a day it was indeed, a cold depressed silenced day, and what a man he was indeed, he who was responsible for it, a nameless man, a nobody, yet memorable.

Oliver Gus, a simple awkward and depressed guy in his thirties, he worked in a worldwide company as a cybersecurity engineer, he had always been alone his entire life, never had friends, nor believed he should have made some for he never got along with anyone. Since the day he has started working for the company he was never late once, always on time yet always the one to leave, it seemed almost as if he was a lonely hard-working guy with nothing special in his life waiting for him home, the only thing special is his life work inside his cubicle that looked more like his coffin. he wasn't a tall man, but not a short man either, he wasn't bold, nor he had thick hair, just a simple curvy brown hair on a round medium looking face, he wasn't a fashionable man, nor looked like a homeless, however he constantly worn a dark blue hoodie with no labels or zippers, and a simple almost short black pants, as if they are his only clothes.

Although Oliver Gus had lived a lonely life, he never thought of a future where he could have been happy and successful, however he lived for the present, and his present was his coworker, and his amore Natalie Bridget, a tall gorgeous blond girl almost his same age, but not his same characteristics. With her stunning sundress, low bridge frame glasses, fluent in talk, and social ability to make friends, she was nothing like him, she always surrounded herself with people, considering herself the center of the universe, while he pushed himself away from people, considering himself an asteroid with no destination. she always smiled, while he never gave a happy expression. She was positive living in a world of light, while he was the opposite living in a world of darkness. Nevertheless, Oliver had always been secretly in love with her, though he never kept the secret from anyone.

To Oliver, every day he spent working in the company, was considered to be the day he would have gathered his courage and confess his love to her, but every day he would have failed to do so out of fear, "it's better than facing a rejection" he always said "maybe I'll do it tomorrow", but he never did nor he was ever planning to do so, and the reason for that comes down to his belief that since just her sight warms his heart it is more than enough. Until the cursed day came, the day Oliver tried to change the course of reality and attempt something that had never been done successfully before.

His day of fate came wearing the name Friday, a day different from any other day, and usually the company's employees skip the last hour of work to go home and enjoy their two days break, but he did what he had always done, staying late until night falls. However, that night he stayed with an agenda which was going to the thirtieth floor with a USB drive, and a note in a black envelope. Oliver waited in the women's toilet until the company's security finished their patrol knowing they won't check inside, and then he carried on with the plan. he went to the elevator after he made sure the security cameras won't be able to catch him and he waited, but the elevator refused to go down, so he took the stairs that seemed very long and felt very slow, as if time is ticking slowly, and as he gotten closer to the chief executive officer's floor, somehow, he felt "today will be my last day working here". All of a sudden, the dreadful night possessed a very evil dark depressed mood, though it was a clear sign, yet it didn't stop him, and he went on about finishing what he had planned his entire life.

After ten minutes inside the CEO's office, he walked out not as he walked in, but empty handed and in a rush, like a child fleeing victoriously after stealing candy from his mother's hiding place. he tired the elevator and it opened instantly, as he walked in, he stopped, looked up and smiled for the first time in a long time, then he laughed as he felt a huge relief and proud. if only the moment lasted forever. the elevator started malfunctioning, and so as his face expressions, then he heard squeaking crackle sounds from the elevator increasing, and so as his heartbeat, then "OH GOD" Oliver screamed with fear as he heard the elevator's rope getting cut, and just like how he felt slow when he went up, time stopped and felt the same, as the elevator started falling, while simultaneously counting down the floors to an irreversible end.