Collection of Short Stories

It Just Takes Time

Ben sighed, watching his step-sister Chloe impatiently. The elevator doors were going to shut without her inside if she didn't hurry, and then they would be later than they already were.

"Come on! My dad and Lisa are already downstairs waiting for us. We have to get to the airport before the storm really hits," he told her.

Chloe finally got in the elevator with her hot pink suitcase that was almost as big as her, while also holding her treasured teddy bear to her chest.

"Got all your precious stuffed animals for the trip?" Ben asked mockingly. "Can't sleep without them for just a week?"

Chloe stuck her tongue out at him like the nine year old she was. "I only have this one, butthead. These are all the clothes mom wanted me to pack because the weather is supposed to unpredictable in the Caribbean," she replied petulantly. "Where's your suitcase, in the garbage that you came from?"

Already having enough of her attitude, Ben grabbed the teddy bear from Chloe in annoyance and held it over his head. Being a seventeen year old boy, he was much taller so she couldn't reach it. He hated his step-sister and thought she was a spoiled brat; she deserved it.

"Give it back!" Chloe shrieked, "Or I'm telling mom when we get in the lobby!"

Ben groaned before muttering "tattletale" and giving the bear back. Chloe's mom, Lisa, was nice enough, but he had only known her for two years; she was newly married to his dad. When they had met it had apparently been "love at first sight" so two short years later he was stuck with a step-mom and an annoying step-sister he had never wanted.

Ben was used to not having a mom; she had left them years ago. Chloe's dad had died when she was young, however, and the teddy bear was all she had left of him. Ben knew Lisa would be mad at him for taking it and causing Chloe anxiety.

Just as he was about to bargain with Chloe not to tell, there was a large crash of thunder before an awful screeching noise filled the elevator as it came to a stop.

"What the f..." Ben trailed off, mindful of Chloe beside him. He looked at the display of the floor numbers and saw they were stopped on 2.

"What happened?!" Chloe exclaimed in a panic, clutching her teddy bear.

"Um, someone might just be getting on..." Ben said, unsure.

The elevator then shuddered a few more times before letting out another low groan. No one was getting on the elevator unless they were some type of demon.

"Crap," Ben whispered. What was he supposed to do now?

"Ben why did the elevator stop!" Chloe's demanding voice reminded him that she was in there too. He resisted the urge to bang his head against the wall; of course he would get stuck in an elevator with the person he liked least in the world.

Taking a deep breath, Ben slowly started to explain the situation to the small girl. "Okay, don't panic, but I think the elevator is stuck. It's a nice hotel though, they should be getting us out of here as soon as they can."

Chloe's bright blue eyes slowly widened and filled with fear. "You mean we're stuck?" she asked him in horror. "In the middle of a storm?!"

Ben paused, not wanting to admit the truth and freak her out even more. He was scared too; what does one even do when stuck in an elevator? And isn't lightning especially bad in this situation? 

Looking around he spotted the emergency call button at the bottom of the panel - of course! Moving quickly to the button he pressed multiple times in a row, the only visible sign of his panic. Soon there was a dinging sound and a voice was heard from the speaker at the top of the elevator.