PACE (Practical Accessibility and Control of Emotions)

Chapter 7 Part 2

“How many floors are there?”

“Too many.” Razak sighed

As time went by with each step that Elliot took his quadriceps became more and more tired, in the beginning he tried going up two stairs at a time which after about 2 floors made him question why he was here. It was only at the 23rd floor that Elliot felt he was getting in to a rhythm. Razak on the other hand was more than eager to get to the top. It reminded Elliot of a little boy running to the newsagents to get his most recent copy of Pointless Weekly. Ironically. Razak waited for Elliot where the stairs stopped at a dark green door. Razak looked smugly at Elliot, with a slight smile on his face without even panting. “You ready?” He asked

“What for?” Elliot asked

“This.” Razak said quietly, and opened the door to release an almighty rush of wind that almost took Elliot off his feet, but he managed to grab the railing. Razak walked through the doorway, the ends of his coat blowing in the wind and then stood looking out over London. They were on the top of the building. Elliot didn’t like where this was going. Elliot stood out of the building. His forearms felt cold and he rolled down his sleeves of his blue and white checker shirt. Elliot then looked out over London; brown smoke in the horizon, cars stuck along a dual-carriageway, teenagers walking away from school. Elliot thought of nothing for a moment. Then. Charlotte. He thought about what she was doing. Whether she was happy. As Elliot looked over London he kept turning to the right but the view was blocked by big coolers, who knows what for. They covered the whole of the roof with no way in or out apart from the door Razak and Elliot had come out of earlier. Razak began to speak. “Look over the edge-”

“Fuck no.” Elliot interrupted

“New power” Razak said, with one of his eyebrows raised, but Elliot wasn’t interested

“Yeah okay, punching some concrete is impressive but I’m not going to jump off a building if you ask me to” He paused with trepidation “I need time to think. How do I get back?” When Elliot looked at Razak he seemed satisfied with the situation. He knew Elliot wouldn’t do it, and he was proud that he didn’t: he did want to put too much pressure on Elliot especially at the start.

“Where?”

“Home.”

“Walk through”

“The door?...” Elliot looked confused, he went to turn around “It’s not there-“ he instantly realised he was wrong. The door was there and standing upright, Elliot walked around it to see what was behind it and, typically, nothing was behind. But as Elliots shift in perspective changed he realised that as he went past the door and turned around to look at Razak who was standing opposite to him, but Elliot couldn’t see the door. He went back to Razak; “This is all too weird” and tried to walk through the door but it wouldn’t budge. “Think about where you want to go-“

“I know, I know I just hadn’t decided.” Elliot said hastily

“Go home maybe-“

“Yeah. I know” Elliot thought about home, turned the doorknob first anti-clockwise but it didn’t open, so he turned it twice clockwise and a satisfying click sounded and  Elliot walked through the door. “Glad to see your capable of doors” Razak said as Elliot was standing on his road and the door shut.