We Are Trapped
That meeting couldn't have gone any worse than it had. Your presentation was flawless. It was more of an issue with the audience. Just a bunch of old men sitting at a boardroom table, listening to you drone on about technology and how introducing more of it will advance the business they've been keeping in the dark ages for years.
Instead of being praised for the innovative thoughts you had, your boss had spent the last half hour shaming you for progressive thought.
Honestly, you don't know why you keep this job. You absolutely hate it. It makes you feel creatively stunted. Sure, the pay was decent. It allowed you to live comfortably. But you had watched too many of your male coworkers ascend the corporate ladders of this company and many others for accomplishments far less than your own.
So when you step your first solemn footstep into the elevator, you release a heavy sigh of defeat. As the elevator begins to hum and pass from the nearly highest floor down towards the lobby, you start to replay the meeting over in your mind.
What was keeping you here at this trash job? Was the money really enough to compensate for your ambitions? Hardly.
The elevator begins to slow about midway through the journey. When the doors slowly pull apart at the eleventh floor, there it is. The one thing that you want to stick around for. The one thing that made it worth coming to this building for all week. Something that made the menial work you do worth tolerating.
Weiss Schnee.
The Schnee Company took up floors five through eleven of the building. And every now and again, you got a glimpse of the most beautiful person you've ever seen in your entire life. In this elevator. And you just weren't ready to give up this elevator yet. So when Weiss Schnee steps into the elevator with you, you politely nod and step to the side.
"Good afternoon." She greets you, her voice slightly nasally.
The doors slide shut once again, and the humming of the elevator resumes. Tenth floor, then the ninth. Then you hear something that resembles the sound of the air brake on a bus and a loud grinding sound. And the elevator comes to a slow stop.
"What is going on?" She leans forward and repeatedly presses the button for the lobby.
"I think the motor in the elevator blew. Or at least that's kind of what it sounded like."
"Are you some undercover elevator technician," she looks at the ID badge clipped to your jacket pocket "Blake Belladonna?"
"Um no, definitely not." You reach across her and hit the emergency alarm button on the panel.
"Hello?" A voice echoes through the intercom. "What is your emergency?"
"Other than being trapped in this damn elevator?" Weiss answers back, annoyance ringing clear as crystal in the metal box.
"We are aware that the elevator has ceased to function as expected. Please don't be alarmed. We are currently looking into it, Miss Schnee."
"How do you even know who is in the elevator?"
"You have to scan your ID prior to being able to summon the elevator, for security purposes. Are either you or Miss Belladonna hurt? Will you need medical attention?"
"I'm fine." You say, leaning against the far wall.
"I require no medical attention. Assuming you are getting us out of here sooner, rather than later."
"We are doing our best to get the two of you out of there as soon a-"
Before he can finish, the ambient lighting in the elevator cuts out. Leaving only the emergency track lighting at the ceiling edges.
"Great. This is just great. We are, we are-"
"Trapped." You can't help but notice the irony of your situation. "We are trapped."
You are trapped in an elevator with only ambient emergency lighting, with the girl of your dreams, after the literal worst day of work you've probably ever had. How could this get any worse?
"Hey!" Weiss starts banging on the door of the elevator, and grasping at the crack where the doors meet trying to force them apart. Crazy. The girl of your dreams might be crazy, or at the very least, claustrophobic. "Get us out of here!"
"Would you like me to help?" You know there's no point, but you offer anyways.
"With?" She looks at you, questioningly.
"The door?" You point a finger to where she's been standing and take a few steps toward her.
Carefully, you wedge your fingers in the doorframe and pull with all your might. But the doors don't budge. Not really surprising. Taking a few steps back, you take your original place and slide down and sit. You have a feeling this isn't going to be a quick rescue.
"You're giving up? Already?" Weiss continues trying to pull the doors apart, with no success.
"Well, even if you got the doors open, where do you propose we go? We are in between floors."
"Perfect." Her shoulders slouch and she moves to sit a few feet from you. "How do you know so much about the mechanics of elevators?"
"I don't know much about them. But I do know the motors have a safety feature that keeps the doors from flinging open or slamming shut too quickly. And if the motor is blown, we won't have enough leverage to override that feature and get the doors to open."
"What exactly is it that you do here, Blake Belladonna?" She squints her eyes and it makes you a little nervous and uneasy.
"Well um, I work for Ironwood Communications."
"Doing?"
"Right now I assist the Chief Technology Officer and oversee about 75% of the companies technical support teams."
"Right now?" She quirks an eyebrow.
"Not sure how much longer that will be the case. I had a huge presentation for technological expansion today and I'm pretty sure it totally bombed."
"I don't know much about you, but you seem fairly thorough at risk assessment." Motioning up to your surroundings.
"Well, the last thing that happened before stepping into this elevator was a reprimanding from my boss about needless changes, the exhaustion of resources and being misaligned with company goals."
"It couldn't have been too bad." Waving her hand to dismiss the notion.
"They didn't even let me finish the presentation. Told me they would 'circle back."
"Ah." She nods. Knowing full well what that means. The two of you sit in silence for the next few seconds before you hear her clear her throat. "I have an idea. Pitch it to me instead."
"What?"
"Your presentation. I assume you reviewed it enough to be able to present at least some of it from memory."
"I suppose I can, if you're really interested?" This honestly wasn't the first conversation you had imagined having with your beautiful elevator dream girl.
"Go on."
And so you give the same presentation, in its entirety, that you gave an hour prior. It takes almost 45 minutes. But this time, Weiss engages with you, asking questions, all of which you answer. After you complete your makeshift presentation, Weiss takes a few moments to ponder something.
"You know, the Schnee Company is currently looking for a new Chief Technology Officer, our current one is looking to retire." She looks back up at you.
"I heard some people talking about that in the cafeteria the other day."
"How would you like the job?" The blood in your veins runs cold.
"Wh, what?" You shake your head. "Forgive me, I'm so sorry. But are you offering me a job? In the elevator?"
"Now that sounds foolish, doesn't it?" She laughs. "But yeah, I think I am."
"You smiling is unfair."
"Why is that?" The lights flicker and come back on. And you grab the handle lining the walls and pull yourself off the floor.
"Makes my judgement feel a little clouded, is all." Extending your hand to help her off the ground, she takes it and hops up, coming face to face with you in the confined space.
The elevator begins to move slowly.
"You want to know one of the best perks about being the Chief Technology Officer of the Schnee Company?"
"The stock options? Or the retirement?"
"When the Chief Financial Officer asks you out, you won't have to say no because of a conflict of interest with your current company, or due to a fraternization policy. Unless you just really want to say no, which I doubt. And I will also make sure that they compensate you properly for your work."
The doors slide open and Weiss Schnee steps out into the lobby in front of you.
"Two weeks." You take a step from the elevator and follow her into the lobby.
"Excuse me?" She tilts her head slightly to one side.
"I would love to accept the position, but I would ask that I can provide proper notice to my current employer." She shakes her head as though to clear her thoughts.
"Of course. Not a problem."
"You seem surprised."
"I honestly didn't think it would be that easy."
"Oh, it is the only easy thing about me, Miss Schnee." She quirks an eyebrow before turning and walking away. And you realize what you just said. "Wait!" You trot after her. "That came out completely wrong."
"Oh it's fine, I'm completely up to the challenge."
She winks at you before walking out of the doorway and to where ever it is that Weiss Schnee goes. Hopefully, you will soon find out.
