The Sky Beneath Us (on hold)

FIVE

Day 1. 15:52.

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After Chad, Becca and Mark, Avery was next to climb into the elevator shaft. As he stepped towards the thick metal doors, he examined the office desk wedged between them - it was holding the pressure for now, but would it break under the strain?

"Are you sure there isn't a better alternative?" Sadie called up to Chad, a slight tremor in her voice.

She received no reply.

"Hey, Sadie, I'll be right behind you alright? We'll be fine" Tom reassured her, but even he didn't sound convinced. Turning to Avery, he whispered "I've a bad feeling about this Chad guy, man. He's not all there".

Avery sighed and placed his hand on Tom's shoulder, "I know Tom, but right now he's the best we've got".

He moved on to the desk, which whined under him. Looking to the left, Avery could see the service ladder he was meant to use. Chad was highest, climbing up onto his floor. Becca was directly below him, waiting for her turn. Mark was next, clearly feeling uneasy at just hanging there in the dark and dirty tunnel. It was written all over his face.

Looking higher again, Avery spotted the elevator itself - dangling dangerously above them all. It seemed to be at the very top, if it fell...

Avery pushed the thought out of his mind, looking down instead. A pyramidal skylight was at the very bottom, a one way ticket out. Sadie and Tom were right.

This thing was a death trap.

Placing his hands on the cold metal rung of the ladder, Avery sidled across to begin the dreaded climb. He closed his eyes momentarily, taking a deep breath. He could do this as long as he focused and ignored the dangers surrounding him.

Left foot. Right foot.

Left foot. Right foot.

Above him, Becca had already achieved safety and Mark was almost inside. Below him, Sadie had clambered out into the shaft. Avery continued to climb, thinking only of his destination.

Left foot. Right foot.

His hands were sweaty, forcing him to grip each rung harder every time until his knuckles turned white.

Left foot.

He was halfway there, passing sealed silver doors. Just one more floor.

Right foot.

Tom had left the fifth floor at this point, and was right behind a traumatised looking Sadie, who he whispered words of encouragement to.

Left foot. Right foot. Left foot. Right foot. Left foot.

As Avery moved his right foot to the next thin bar, Becca's hand shot out to pull him in. He took it firmly, and clambered into a thrashed hallway where Mark was studying a torn floor plan and Chad was lighting a cigarette.

"Hey look, you made it", she smiled. Avery returned the smile, but knew deep down that they shared the same pain. She had family in the suburbs too, and there was no doubt about it that she was just as worried as he was.

There was a rattle behind them, an unnatural sort of sound coming from the elevator shaft. Sadie shouted "Avery!" and he was over instantly with Becca and Mark in his wake.

The rattle sound was coming from the elevator. The locks at the top were beginning to fail, it was going to drop. They had seconds if anything.

Sadie was only a few rungs away, she could make it up in time. Tom however, was barely halfway.

"Tom go back!" Avery called as he reached out with both arms to pull Sadie inside.

"Go back down, now!"

Through Sadie's screams and Tom's panicked shouts, Avery heard the locks snap.

And the elevator came crashing down the tunnel.

Avery and Mark pulled Sadie in and landed on their backs. Her feet barely made it over the threshold as the heavy box flew past them at blurred speeds. In all the commotion, they heard the elevator impact with Tom's body. His shouts were drowned out instantly.

Screeching.

Smashing glass.

Silence.

Tom was gone, lost to the sky like so many others.

Sadie burst into tears, her dark face already stained with mascara. Becca helped her to her feet and consoled her as Avery rolled onto his knees to get up. Mark stayed on his back, pale, saying nothing.

Chad stood motionless, the cigarette burning through and dangling lopsided out the corner of his mouth. The three others that he had spoken of arrived and looked on in shock. One was a boy, no older than eighteen, wearing an orange courier's uniform with matching cap. The second, a middle-aged and balding man, wore smudged glasses and a blood stained suit. The last person was an East-Asian woman who ran over to check if Avery was okay.

But he wasn't okay. He felt empty inside.

"I'm Pam, Pam Wu. You couldn't do any more, you saved that girl. You-"

Avery stopped listening, he didn't want to hear this. His thoughts were on Tom the intern, and what he must have felt in his final moments. Betrayed? Angry? Afraid?

Avery had promised him safety, he promised them all safety. And now he had let them down.

He had let Tom down.

Chad moved over to the shaft entrance, and blew a low whistle as he looked down, then up.

He turned to the group wearing a face of total relief.

"Well at least we can climb to the top now" he said amused.

Avery broke, and was on him in seconds. He slammed Chad against the wall and drove his forehead into his crooked nose. Chad pushed him back, and tackled him to the ground. Avery blocked off two punches with his forearms but got one directly to the eye. Slamming his right knee into Chad's ribs, Avery then rolled on top and proceeded to punch him repeatedly. Mark stepped in rapidly and threw him off.

Chad retreated to the far wall, blood pouring from his broken nose and a look of shock plastered over his face. Avery shot to his feet, glaring lividly through one eye at the frightened faces around him.

"Tom is dead because we failed him. I failed him. And I'll never forget that. I want to get us out of this disaster, and I'm trying. But I'm just a man, a man caught up in something he doesn't understand. If you choose to continue following me, I can't promise safety anymore, I can only offer my best. Join me or not, it's your choice".

There was a moment of silence before Becca stepped forward.

"I'm still with you Avery. And I'm willing to help in any way I can to ensure we get outta here alive".

Avery nodded to her, softening his expression. Sadie walked over, drying her eyes.

"You just saved my life Avery, I don't think I'll ever be able to repay that. But you have my thanks, and you have my trust. I'm staying with you".

Mark grunted "count me too".

Pam came across the hall and addressed Avery wearing a worried look.

"I speak for the others when I say that we don't know you, but you've got the right idea and right now it's our best option. We're with you".

The group turned to Chad, who was shakily getting to his feet. He wiped away the blood with his sleeve, giving a slight nod in Avery's direction.

"Looks like I don't have much of a choice. Lead the way, mate".