Lights out

The doors finally open after I pushed the button for the fourth time. I was looking forward to a quiet ride up to my apartment by myself. My hopes were dashed when I saw someone in the elevator already.  

"What floor are you going to?" The boy asks as I step inside the elevator with him. 

"Seventh floor." I reply. 

"Oh! Same as me!" He said excitedly as he pushed the button. "What apartment number are you going to?" 

I glance at him for a second before answering. " 742. You?" I shift my bag from my left shoulder to my right. I notice that we were wearing similar uniforms. "What school do you go to?" 

"765. And Green Leaf Academy. I'm in your homeroom class, Noelle. I sit right next to you." He grinned as I tried to remember who he was. 

"Um, excuse me, but I don't really remember you." I mumble. He just laughs.  

"That's okay." The screen on the elevator pings and we stop at the fourth floor. A small child walks in and faces us.  

"I wanna go to the first floor please." She says, but really, she is demanding.  

"Um, okay." The boy, now I remember his name, Kenji. "But it's going up to the seventh floor first, you know." He pointed at me, then himself. "Both of us. So, you'll have to wait until we get out. Okay?" The doors closed and the bell chimed, telling it was going up. Suddenly the elevator went down, then up again, then stopped. The girl had fallen on her bottom, me on my knees and Kenji was gripping the railing. "What was that?" He looked up to the ceiling then down to us. "Noelle, little girl, are you two okay?" I nod, as he extended his hands out to help us up. I take it, while the girl stands on her own.  

"I do have a name, you know." She glares at Kenji.  

"Well, you haven't told anyone it yet." I snap, wondering what just happened. Then the lights flickered once, then went completely out. "Huh? Why aren't the emergency lights coming on?" I wonder out loud. I hear the girl sniffle and I wonder if I was too harsh.  

"My name is Maya. I live on the fourth floor, apartment 417." Her voice wobbled as she spoke. "I live with my mom and-" Her voice broke right then, and she started crying.  

"Oh, no. Don't cry, Maya." I reach down to the little girl and wrapped my arms around her. With her face in my shoulder, she bawled. "Hey, it's okay. Everything will be okay." I stroked her hair making cooing noises to calm her down. "How old are you, Maya?" 

"Ten."  

"Okay. What school do you go to?" I wasn't that interested in knowing all of this, but if it helped her calm down, I would ask questions all day long.  

"Greyhound Girls Academy. In a few years, I'll be able to go to Green Leaf Academy. What schools do you two go to?" 

"My name is Noelle and I'm fifteen. I got to Green Leaf Academy, and in my homeroom class, I must sit next to the dork in the corner. Hey, Kenji, do you have your phone with you? Turn on the flashlight, idiot."  

"You know my name!" He gasped Then I could hear him fumbling with his school assigned bag. Light filled the elevator as Kenji turned the flashlight on. "I'm Kenji, also fifteen, and in my homeroom class, I have to sit next to that jerk." He thrust his hand out at me, and his phone flew out of his hand and onto the floor. The light went out. "No!" Kenji must've picked it up because he started to wail. "It's broken! And it won’t turn on!” Maya started to cry again, so I pulled her close to my chest.  

“Dummy! Now how are we supposed to see?” I hiss and hear his shoes scrape the floor.  

“Your phone? And why is the elevator floor so dang hard?” 

“Oh, so you sit down you lackadaisical idiot.” I transfer my weight from my knees to my butt, and Maya plopped down on my lap. “My phone is in my bad, which I dropped when the elevator went haywire.”  

“What does haywire mean?” Maya sniffled. “And I have something to tell you, um, Noelle.”  

“Haywire means out of control, faulty or broken. What is it, Maya?” I ask gently. 

“I have to pee.” Kenji burst out laughing. I stared at the girl. 

“Maya, what grade are you in?”  

“Fifth.”  

“Ok, hold it, girly. Don’t you dare think about peeing on me.”  

“What about in your bag, Noelle?” Kenji offered. 

“Why mine? She’ll pee in your pockets, for all I care.” I shoot back.  

“Hey! Is there anyone in here?” Someone pounded on the doors. The three of us were stunned into silence. “Speak now or forever hold your peace! And be stuck in there longer!” 

“Yes!” Kenji and I shouted in unison. “There are three people in here, one of them has to pee really bad, so get us the hell outta here!” Kenji pounded on the doors.  

“Idiot! You could break it more! Don’t hit stuff. Have you no manners?”” I scold and stand. Maya was clutching my leg so tightly, I thought it would pop right off.  

“Sorry.” He stopped. There were more shouts from the other side of the doors. “They’re in the laundry room.” He commented. 

“Gee, thanks, Kenji, but I think we all kinda knew that.” I say dryly. 

“Are those men going to get us out of here?” Maya asked, hope filling her voice. “Are they firefighters?”  

“Yes, and I don’t know. If they were, my dad will be out there, and he’ll get us out of here.”  

“Really?” I fell Maya’s face move up to look at me. “I don’t have a dad anymore.” She said sadly. 

“What happened to him?” Kenji was oblivious to the fact my leg was now dripping with tears.  

“Stupid! She's crying again! Don’t ask stuff like that!” I glare at him even though he can’t see me.  

“Sorry!” He immediately apologized, then stepped on something. 

“What was that?”  

“Your bag. Anyway, I'm sorry I asked, Maya. I didn’t know you were crying.” 

“It’s ok. He died in a fire last year.” 

“That’s so sad. I'm definitely sorry now.” He said again.  

“Well, he died in the arms of a firefighter. With a smile on his face, they said.” 

“Lat year?” I ask, thinking of a man like that Dad told us about one day. He cried through dinner and all through the night. “Maya, if I may, when was the fire and where?” 

“Um July, and 16th street.” She let go of my leg only to find my hand. 

“Maya, you wanna know something?” Clanging and yelling came from outside the elevator, but I ignored it. “My dad was the one who carried your father out of that fire. Officer Chalet. He told your dad jokes and all about his klutz of a daughter. That would be me.” 

“Really? Wow. Thanks for telling me that, Noelle. Tell your dad-” 

“Hey! Can you guys still hear me?” The same guy shouted.  

“Um, yeah.” I shout back. “Loud and clear. Tone it down a bit, wouldja?” I mumble. Kenji laughed and even Maya giggled.  

“There is a trapdoor right above the buttons. If you can open it and get out, we’ll pull you up from the next floor, ok? No sudden movements, the elevator is very unstable; the brakes won’t hold for long. We'll be on the floor above you. Okay?” 

“Gotcha.” The man left. “Kenji, find my cell in my bag, ok? Turn on the flashlight, without breaking it. It should be in an inside pocket.” We hear him dig through my bag a moment before light filled the space again.  

“Interesting lock screen, Noelle.” He pointed the light up. 

“Shut up.”  

“Is that you in a bikini? Wow, that’s kinda hot.” I slap him. “Ouch, I’m kidding, sorry.” 

“Can it. Do you see the trapdoor?” Maya pointed to it the same time I saw it. “Good eye, kiddo” I rub her head. “There.” I point it out to Kenji, who is too busy drooling over my lock screen.  

“I see it.” He looked at us. “I’ll go up first, then pull you two up, ‘kay?”  

“You’re not gonna leave us, are you?” Maya’s voice was once more filled with terror.  

“No.” He patted her head and noticed the expression on my face. “It’ll be okay, Noelle. I won’t leave you two here, promise.” He handed the light to me. “Hold this.” I watched as he put one foot up on the railing, and reached for a fingerhold with the opposite hand, to hoist himself up. Using his free hand, he pushed on the panel, but all in vain. “Open. Stupid. Thing.” He punched the door and it swung open.  

“Hey, it opened. Can you get out kid?” It was my dad on the next floor.  

“Yeah.” Kenji grunted as he lifted himself up and on to the top of the problem elevator. His movement was too sudden, though, and the brakes slipped before catching again.  

“C’mon, kiddo. Get out!” Dad yelled, as calmly as a yell could be.  

“No!” Kenji shouted back. “I have to help these two out!” He turned his attention back to us. I was gripping Maya and she was crying. I could just barely keep my tears in.  

“Kenji, take Maya first.” I tell him through my shaking voice. I would like to say it was all adrenalin, but I was terrified. “Hurry, Kenji. She’s gotta get out.”  

“Okay, can you even lift her up, Noelle?”  

“Noelle?” Dad echoed. “Noelle, is that you? Get out right now!” He yelled.  

“I’m fine, Dad. Maya’s coming out first though!” I shove my phone into my skirt waistband and cup my hands together. “Step into my hands, then Kenji will lift you up, ok, Maya?” She nodded. “You know the guy who helped your dad? He’s up there and will take care of you now. It’s okay now. You're getting out.”  

“Okay.” She took a deep breath and stepping into my hands.  

“Up you go.” I hoisted her up and Kenji reached down, barely grazing her wrist before getting a hold on her forearm. He pulled up too quickly though, the brakes slipped once more, but this time they didn’t catch. “Kenji! Let her go!” He released Maya, and she fell on me and started screaming. Kenji’s and the firefighter’s yells drown out my own scream.  

When we hit the bottom, it felt like hitting bricks. “Maya, are you okay?” I whispered, wondering what the wetness on my leg was. Her eyes opened and I smiled weakly. “That’s good.” I coughed into my hand and something wet and sticky flew into it.  

Blood.  

Something mushy landed on my forehead as Kenji jumped down from the roof. “Noelle, Maya! Are you two okay?” Maya sat up and scramble off me.  

“I’m sorry, Noelle.” She whispered. “I wet myself.” Her face turned red.  

“Noelle, your bleeding!” He wiped away the blood dribbling down my chin with his handkerchief.  

“I bit my tongue.” I say and try to sit up.  

“Oops.” Kenji grabbed the thing off my forehead and popped it into his mouth. “Shrimp scampi from lunch.” He grinned then grabbed my elbows to help me sit up against the wall. I spit out a mouthful of blood and he wiped my mouth and chin again.  

“Noelle!” The doors were peeled open and my dad rushed in. “Let’s get you to an ambulance.” He reached down to pick me up, but I pushed him away.  

“No. Them first. Maya, Kenji.” He looked at Maya, then Kenji, then back at me and nodded, pride for me shining in his brown eyes. With that, he scooped up Maya and walked to an ambulance. Kenji helped me up and we walked out on our own, police officers, firefighters and paramedics surrounding us.  

“Noelle!” I looked up to see Dad with Maya walking out the door. “Noelle, Kenji, ride with me!” There were still tears running down her face, and there were on mine too. I run out the door, on Dad’s tail, Kenji on mine. Dad handed her over to the paramedics who put her down on a stretcher and lifted her into the ambulance. 

“Maya!” A woman shrieked and raced towards the ambulance.  

“Sorry, ma’am. Family only.” The paramedic blocked her way.  

“I. Am. Her. Mother.” The woman yelled.  

“Um, okay.” The paramedic shook his head and let her in. We arrived just as he was closing the doors.  

“Wait!” I yell breathlessly. “Let us in.” 

“No, miss. Family only.” He said in annoyance.  

“Noelle! Kenji! Mommy, please let them ride with us!” Maya’s tiny voice came from inside the ambulance.  

“Who are these two?” Maya’s mother poked her head out to look at us. 

“They were with me in the elevator. Noelle saved me from falling. Oh, and Noelle’s daddy was with my daddy when he died.” Maya’s mother looked at us with disgust for a second before smiling, tears in her eyes.  

“Thank you two so much. Mister,” She slapped the paramedic's shoulder. "Let these two in. They are family.” The paramedic stared at us.  

“Your skirt is ripped, Noelle.” Kenji whispered.  

“Yeah? Your shirt is ripped, Kenji. What are you gonna tell the teacher tomorrow at school? And why was there shrimp scampi in your pocket, of all places?” He laughed. The paramedic rolled his eyes and let us slip into the back on the ambulance.  

“Hey, Maya.” I said as I gripped Kenji’s hand. He squeezed my hand in return. 

‘Hi, Kenji. Hi, Noelle.”