Short Scary Stories

The Elevator.

Ethan Crumbski sipped at his piping hot coffee, strolling into his office. Placing down his cup, he set to work instantaneously. His co-workers know of his seriousness for getting papers done and handed in on time, so they rarely spoke with him. Ethan didn’t mind one bit.

Scrolling down the document he worked on for the past three nights, the brunette man’s florescent blue eyes dashed across each line, revising his work, making sure there were no mistakes. Satisfied with finding no such mistake, he printed the sheets out, quickly standing to retrieve them.

As he hurriedly went to the printer, waiting for the seventeen pages, Ethan’s ear picked up a certain conversation voiced by one of the security guards he knows works the late night shift as well as the owner of the company he works for.

“Another one, last night.” The night guard quietly stated. The boss was silent, grumbling at the confusing news for Ethan. “It was a different time like how the others are. I just don’t understand why they use it. There is an obvious sign on the doors specifically saying it’s out of use.”

“Wish I knew the reason behind it as well, Carson.” The night guard was silent as Ethan picked up his papers. “Keep up the good work.” Ethan moved away, back to his office to finish his hand in.

Ethan’s job is creating ideas for advertisement. He has been in this company for a few years, excelling faster than his co-workers. Over the years working here, Carson has been the night guard but frequents the boss’s office in the day to hand in reports on some nights. The brunette had witnessed this many a time but brushed it off. This month he couldn’t easily shove it to the side.

Being a great observer with the way his personality is, he has noticed over the month a lot of people missing. There was Heidi, who worked at the desk across his office door. She usually pestered him about going to lunch and chatting, not refusing to back down though he rejected her as nicely he could. She worked here for only five months, then she disappeared without saying anything to anyone. He remembered her mentioning something similar, how people were missing from the company. He paid no mind to it until his memory came back of all the people who used to be here. Kade, Will, Jessie, Becca, Ricky, Gene, Clark, Mallory, Avery, Dennis, Florence, and Owen. They didn’t have a thing in common, that he knew. Never saw all of them together. But then, he didn’t know anyone since he kept to himself.

People were missing. He wondered who had gone missing this time. Figuring he would find out soon, he finished up his morning work and headed out for lunch.

Returning from his meal, Ethan passed by Heidi’s old desk, glancing at the new name plaque on it. Sarah Fredricks, it read. He hummed to himself as he walked into his office, leaving the door open for once. He would watch Sarah for a while when he could, not thinking he could be dubbed a creep. The woman didn’t notice at all, too busy typing away as she chatted with her desk neighbor, Robert Stans.

Rob was a comical guy. Ethan overheard many conversations with him dropping jokes at the correct times. If memory served correctly for the brunette, Robert worked just as many years as Ethan. He wasn’t so sure. Pushing his thoughts away, he began writing another advertisement campaign.

Night soon came and Ethan compiled his gear together. He was ready to leave within seven minutes. Briskly walking to the elevators, he noticed one out of the four holding a sign. “Out of Order.” He read aloud. The morning talk between Carson and their boss came back to the front of his mind. Could this be what they were talking about? Now that he thought of it, its been out of order for nearly four years now. He wondered why no one would try to fix it. Shrugging it off, he went to the last elevator on the right and descended down to the lobby floor.

~

The next morning he came in earlier than he was supposed to. He noticed Carson packed up and ready to head out but stopped him before he could reach the entrance doors.