It was a quiet day in the London Evening Messenger office block. Such a thing was not unheard of at this time of the evening. The clock ticked by and the janitor swept the floor with his mop, hunched over and ignored. Two journalists were still around, working late. The room was uncomfortably silent barring the clicking of keys on the keyboard and the sipping sound of coffees being consumed as the two hurried to get everything finished on time.

"Look at the time," Rick, the older of the two, cursed as he checked his watch. 9:40 PM. He turned to his co-worker. "I'm going to be late! Help me out, Arthur!"

"But I'm just a junior reporter!" Arthur protested, looking at Rick in disdain. Arthur was well aware of Rick's date with Lisa Parker, a clerk at the Mayor's office. He also knew Rick would never finish on time to meet her, though he kept that to himself. "I don't have the experience. Besides, you're supposed to be training me!"

Rick ignored him. He grabbed his coat and walked over to the teenager. "Consider this your lesson of the day." With that, he left his notes on Arthur's desk and left the room. Arthur huffed in annoyance. He picked up the notes, and flicked through them absently.

Rick strolled through the corridor happily, whistling a jaunty tune. He pressed the elevator button, waiting patiently for the lift to arrive. Today was a good day. From the corner of his eye, Rick noticed the janitor, Arnold, stooped over mopping the floor.

"You missed a spot, Arnold." Rick teased. The elevator chimed open, prompting Rick to step inside.

Arnold stopped mopping the floor, watching as the doors slid closed. He tilted his head to the side, nictitating membranes snapping across his eyes.

Rick selected the ground floor and waited patiently as the lift began its descent. The lift moved slowly. Down… down… down… then it stopped precariously between floors twelve and fourteen. There was no floor thirteen. Rick huffed. This was preposterous, he was going to be late! He jabbed at the ground floor button again, but the lift refused to move.

"Stupid thing!" Rick growled under his breath. The elevator lurched suddenly and Rick was nearly thrown off his feet. He grabbed the railing to steady himself. The red text flickering on the panel stated 13. He whimpered, slightly terrified.

Slowly, the elevator doors slid open and light streamed through. Rick stared, transfixed. It was absolutely impossible. His wonder quickly morphed into horror. He screamed, though it was short-lived.

Arthur paused flicking through the notes when he heard a strange sounding roar. Looking through the window into the corridor, he was greeted with the unspectacular image of Arnold mopping the floor. He frowned, returning to his note reading.

It must have been his imagination.

Gita Chandra was washing the plates, humming a little tune to herself when Rani walked into the room with a confident smile and her best clothes. She coughed, catching her mother's attention.

"Oh!" Gita beamed. "Look at you! So beautiful. You look so grown up."

"You think?" Rani smiled. "I really want to look like a reporter for my first day. Make a good impression."

"You look fine, my darling," Gita assured her, smiling sadly. "To think that you'll be gone soon, off to live your own life without me or you dad getting in the way."

"Oh, don't be so sure, mum." Rani teased. "I'll be scrounging off you both for years to come."

"Now, don't be silly, Rani!" Gita chastised her.

"Yes, yes, I know," Rani smiled. "I'm off, can't exactly keep Sarah Jane waiting. Bye!"

"Have fun!"

Rani left the house and crossed the road, where Sarah Jane, Sky and Clyde were waiting for her.

"Wow!" Sky gasped in awe. "You look nice, Rani!"

"Nice, eh?" Rani smirked. "You really are Luke's sister."

"Nice isn't quite the word I'd use," Clyde smirked. "You look like a librarian with your new threads."

"Oh, shut up, Clyde!" Rani huffed, shoving him lightly. Clyde chuckled, the mischievous look in his eyes transitioning into something warmer. Rani couldn't quite place it.

"Nah, you look great." he assured her with a fond - if a little smitten - smile.

"So, here goes Rani Chandra, investigative reporter, to her first day of work experience! Maybe I'll luck out and get to do some actual work!"

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure, investigative reporter," Sarah Jane warned, "A week of work experience? First day? You'll most likely be making the tea."

"Right, of course," Rani nodded, her smile waning slightly.

"Come on then, you don't want to be late for your first day!" Sarah Jane said as she got into her car. Rani joined her and the two set off. Clyde and Sky watched them go.

"I hope she has fun." Sky beamed.

"Yeah, me too." Clyde muttered slowly, watching the car drive off with a sad smile.

"Clyde, what do you think I'll be when I'm older?" Sky asked her older friend as they walked towards Park Vale Comprehensive. "I can't quite decide."

"At the rate you're going, you could be all grown up by next week!" Clyde quipped, grinning proudly of himself.

"I'm not sure I want to grow up," Sky confessed, "I like being a kid."

"Yeah, I do too," Clyde agreed sadly. "It's alright for you, you have ages to go but it's almost over for me, I know it is. Look at Luke, he's already in uni! Rani's not far behind - applying to all sorts, left, right and centre, she is."

"You don't want to lose her," Sky noted.

"Er, no," Clyde scoffed. "No way!" his mood shifted again and he looked down at the ground in despair. "I know I should be looking at art colleges- but I keep putting it off. I don't want to grow up. Me and Rani, we help Sarah Jane save the world more times than Simon Cowell gets his teeth whitened. I don't want that to change."

Sky reached over and held his hand, hoping to provide some semblance of comfort. Eventually, the pair reached the school and were forced to part ways, promising to meet each other after school.

Sarah Jane's car pulled up in the drive of the London Evening Messenger. She gazed at it thoughtfully.

"Are you okay, Sarah Jane?" Rani asked her curiously.

"I'm fine, Rani," Sarah Jane assured her without taking her eyes off the building. "This building has changed a lot since my days here, that's all."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah." Sarah Jane grinned at her. "Fleet Street is one of those places with a sense of purpose built into it and then this office block - it looks out of its time."

"You think?" Rani admired the building. "I quite like it."

"Yes, well, enough of the building," Sarah Jane turned to Rani. "I could go in with you- introduce you, if you'd like?"

"No," Rani stated firmly. "I need to get used to doing things by myself. I want to stand on my own two feet, however shaky they may be."

"Be confident in yourself, Rani!" Sarah Jane reassured her. "You're very talented and extremely capable."

"Thanks, Sarah Jane," Rani smiled. "Well, I'd best be off. Don't want to keep them waiting on my first day!"

Sarah Jane watched as the Rani unbuckled her seat belt and stepped out of the car. She waved when Rani reached the door and waited until she was inside before she pulled out of the drive.

Rani admired the building interior. It was a typical glass and steel office. People streamed in and out, progressing with their day. Sunlight streamed through the windows and she felt a little overwhelmed by the chatter that surrounded her. Spotting a receptionist's desk, Rani decided to stop gawking and take action.

The wooden desk was neat, the computer state of the art and the general area tidy. The receptionist, a blonde petite woman, was whispering furiously with a teenaged boy. Rani edged closer curiously, straining her ears to catch the conversation.

"...And he never showed up!" the boy whispered feverishly. "Lisa Parker actually called the office asking for him. He never attended the date- and that's not even the worst of it! His car was found in the car park, riddled with parking tickets! He didn't even make it to his car!"

"Look, Arthur, I know you've been dying for a scoop for ages, but this has got to stop!" the receptionist hissed. "Stop digging into conspiracy theories. Your aunt will throw a fit!"

"But it's not a conspiracy-"

"Hello!" the receptionist exclaimed cheerily upon noticing Rani, cutting Arthur off. "Can I help you?"

"Oh, right, sorry!" Rani laughed nervously, her eyes briefly flitting over the blonde boy as he breathed in and out slowly, calming himself. His distorted face soon relaxed. "I'm Rani Chandra, the student from Park Vale? I start work experience today?"

"Rani Chandra?" Arthur repeated. "You're with me. I'm Arthur Matthews, I've been sent to collect you. If you'd care to follow me…"

Rani complied and followed the boy to an elevator.

"Our regular boss is...indisposed at the moment." Arthur explained as they entered the elevator. "So we'll be working under Chantelle - she's the boss lady for now."

"Right," Rani nodded, eyeing the elevator panel. Her eyes locked onto a specific fact. "There's no thirteenth floor."

"Oh, yeah. The builders were probably superstitious or something." Arthur stated dismissively.

"Triskaidekaphobia."

"What?"

"Triskaidekaphobia." Rani repeated confidently. "It's the fear of the number thirteen."

"How do you know that?" Arthur asked, staring at her weirdly.

"A friend taught me." Rani stated simply. "So, hey, what was all that about downstairs?"

"Oh, you heard that?"

"Yeah… sorry," Rani grinned sheepishly. "So, my question?"

"You know how I mentioned the boss, Rick?" Arthur asked her. Rani nodded. "He vanished last night."

"Vanished how?"

"Come off it, you heard the story," Arthur scoffed. "No one knows! He just did! And there's more…"

"What is it?" Rani asked curiously. Arthur looked at her gravely.

"Meet me during lunch and I'll explain it all. You're gonna need some incentive to get through the morning."

"It can't be that bad," Rani scoffed as the lift pinged open. Stepping out, she nearly collided with a janitor who was watching the elevator eagerly. "Oh, sorry! I should've watched where I was going."

"Quite alright, miss," Arnold nodded humbly, turning to Arthur. "Good morning, sir."

"Hey, Arnold." Arthur mumbled without sparing the man a thought, grabbing Rani by the arm and pulling her along. "Come on, we're going to be late."

Arnold watched them go, a sneer twisting his lips.

"That was a bit rude," Rani hissed once they were out of earshot of the janitor.

"Oh, he's used to it," Arthur said dismissively. "You haven't even seen rude yet."

The pair entered a room and Rani was immediately greeted with a hubbub of voices as people typed on computers furiously and yelled at each other to work on something or other to meet deadlines and create schedules. Rani stood, a little stunned at the sight. She was actually standing in a room with journalists. A group of journalists. She laughed quietly to herself.

"This is amazing!" Rani whispered to Arthur. The boy smiled slightly at her enthusiasm. It was refreshing, he had almost forgotten what it was like to be enthusiastic in such a depressing environment. The smile died out as soon as an imposing looking woman approached them with a scowl on her face.

"Aww, isn't that sweet?" the woman cooed insincerely at Arthur. "You decided to help the new girl! You're late. You're on double time."

"But you're the one who-"

"I didn't ask for an answer, Arthur." the woman scowled. "Go, now." the boy hurriedly scuttled away and the woman turned her piercing gaze to Rani. "I suppose you're the Park Vale work experience student?"

"Well, yes, but-"

"I didn't ask for an answer." The woman held her hand up. "Chantelle Matthews, remember the name, I'm your boss for the week."

"Oh, okay. I'm -"

"Irrelevant. You speak when I tell you to." Chantelle interrupted her with a glare. "Look around you, girl. You may have made friends with my nephew but this is a working zone. You're here for work experience. That means you're here to get experience so that you can try to get a job in the future; not to lark about. Got it?"

Rani nodded.

"Good. Now go fetch me a coffee."

"So much for work experience, I've only been fetching coffee and papers the last few hours!" Rani protested over the phone.

"Well, Sarah Jane did warn you, so you've only got yourself to blame," Clyde informed her jovially, grinning as Rani huffed on the other side.

"Whatever," Rani said before looking around cautiously as she fetched Chantelle yet another coffee. The other journalists had been no help at all. When she had tried to introduce herself, they had all simply brushed her off and continued with their work. Arthur had been the only one kind enough to talk to her on the rare occasions Rani wasn't running around fetching beverages. "I'll tell you what though, something strange is happening in this building."

"Strange how?"

"People are disappearing and the police haven't a clue!" Rani explained excitedly.

"Oh boy, doesn't that sound familiar," Clyde sighed. "Are children disappearing too?"

"That's not funny, Clyde," Rani reprimanded him, as she picked up the coffee cup. "There's something going on here, and I have to find out what."

"What about Sarah Jane?"

"She's trying to get another interview from that Noah guy." Rani sighed. "I've left her a message. Meet me here for lunch? I'm off in five minutes."

"It's a good thing I'm already on my way!" Clyde said happily.

"What? Why?"

"You thought I'd not have lunch with you after your first day? As if!"

"You're a dummy." Rani flushed.

"You wish!" Clyde snorted. "Look, I'm almost here. Meet you on the bottom floor?"

"Okay, see you soon." Rani smiled to herself as she hung up. She returned to Chantelle's office with her cup of coffee, reaching to knock on the door when it flew open.

"Ah, newbie. I'm off for lunch. You're on break." Chantelle told her before skulking off. Rani stood in the doorway, confused.

"Don't worry, she does that," Arthur smiled gingerly as he approached her. "You get used to it."

"She's a bit…"

"Bossy?" Arthur supplied.

"I was gonna go with demanding." Rani confessed. The two chuckled.

"I did warn you it was crazy here."

"Crazy doesn't cut it." Rani quipped, her eyes narrowing when she noticed the folder in Arthur's hands. "Is that it?"

"Are you sure you want to know?" Arthur asked cautiously.

"Oh, don't do that, that'll just make me want to know even more!" Rani chuckled.

"Okay," Arthur nodded uneasily, striding over to a desk and sitting on the chair. Rani followed, sitting in a desk chair opposite him. "It's all in here. The London Evening Messenger. This office block has got a reputation for people going missing. Look," Arthur opened the book, "It was built ten years ago and people have just vanished ever since."

"How so?"

"People would come into work and just disappear!" Arthur explained. Rani frowned and took the book from his hands, flicking the page.

"The cars were left in the car park," Rani read, frowning when she digested the words. "Like Rick's."

"It isn't just this one either!" Arthur exclaimed, snatching the book back, "Look, before they revived the London Evening Messenger, there was a hotel here."

"Family disappears from Messenger Hotel." Rani read aloud.

"From room number thirteen!" Arthur pointed out. "Something's happening here and people are just ignoring it! But I can't, I have to find out the truth. This could be my big scoop!"

"Okay, stay here." Rani ordered, standing from her chair and walk towards the door.

"What - where are you going?!" Arthur demanded.

"I have to meet up with a friend. We'll go have a look around, find out what's wrong."

"I'm helping too. This is my case!" Arthur protested.

"I know, but we can help!" Rani told him firmly. "Just wait here, I'll be back!"

"You're joking, right?" Clyde inquired, his sandwich frozen an inch away from his mouth.

"No, Clyde. I told you something was happening here, didn't I?" Rani sighed, stepping into the elevator, quickly followed by her male friend. She pressed the button for the eighteenth floor. In her rush, she had jumped down all the steps and was too tired to run up.

"Apollo 13 had Tom Hanks in it," Clyde quipped as the elevator began its ascent. "That would explain a lot."

"Clyde, seriously, now is not the time -" Rani was cut off when the elevator lights blinked out rapidly. The whole area juddered violently, sending her crashing into the wall. It shook again, throwing her off balance and sending her crashing into Clyde. Rani let out a scream as the elevator continued its violent course and, with one final crash, the elevator stopped. Clyde and Rani lapsed into silence, breathing heavily, too scared to speak.

"Floor thirteen, floor thirteen, floor thirteen." the elevator voice module announced monotonously.

"But there isn't a thirteenth floor." Clyde murmured. "That's what you told me."

"Doors opening."

The elevator doors slowly opened and what was outside them shocked the pair.

"That's impossible…" Rani whispered.

It was a forest. A thick, green rainforest that spanned beyond their eyesight. Mist danced around the roots, creating a dense blanket that made it difficult to see. Birds chittered aimlessly from perches neither Clyde nor Rani could locate. They appeared to be in a clearing, a path marked out for them by tangled grass and broken tree roots.

"I don't think we're in Ealing." Clyde breathed.

"Where are we?" Rani asked. "What could this be? It's just a lift!"

"It's not exactly teleport material, that's for sure, but the people had to disappear somehow." Clyde pointed out. "Maybe they're still around."

Tentatively, the pair stepped out, examining the change in environment, and the lift disappeared in a burst of fire.

"No!" Rani cried out, running to the spot, hopelessly willing the life to return. "No, this can't happen…"

"Rani," Clyde said sadly, pulling her arm. "It's not there, let's go look around. Maybe it's just… I dunno, teleported?"

Arnold cheered as the lift opened with the occupants emptied out. Two more people claimed. He bellowed in celebration, his perception filter stripped away to reveal the garishly grey skinned humanoid underneath.

Arthur watched the transformation in horror from his position in the office room, quietly shuffling to a hiding place behind the desks. He wasn't sure why but the creature frightened him, and he felt the need to hide from it. The fear burrowed deep into his guts and gnawed away, his brain whispering stories and facts in his head.

The creature is harmless. The creature is nice.

The creature will kill you.

A loud bellow rang out across the clearing, and the floor vibrated with the beat of heavy footsteps. Clyde and Rani stopped and gripped each other, their eyes skittering over entry points, trying to locate the source.

"I don't like this," Rani whimpered.

"I'm with you on that," Clyde agreed. "This is way freaky,"

"Over here!" Rani whispered, dragging him over to a small clearing. They clambered down the steps and waited, with bated breaths. A moment later, Clyde was struck by an idea and fished out his phone.

"It doesn't work," he hissed.

"Well, of course it doesn't work, Clyde, we're in a forest!" Rani retorted.

Their bickering was cut off no sooner than it began when the sound of logs crashing to the floor filled their ears. Spinning around, they came face to face with an old woman.

"It's… it's you." the woman gasped, staring at Rani. "It's you! People! People!"

"Who are you?" Rani asked. "How do you know me?"

"It's been forty-six years."

"What do you mean? Who are you?"

"My name…" the woman paused, gathering her thoughts. Eventually, she abandoned the thought and produced a card attached to a lanyard. The laminated paper had peeled with age, the words faded, making it almost unreadable."Chantelle. Chantelle Matthews."

Rani looked shocked at this, finding herself unable to comprehend the idea of being stuck in one place forever. She turned and looked at Clyde, hoping for some kind of reassurance, proof that the woman was lying, anything at all. Maybe the lift would return, or perhaps Sarah Jane could get to them somehow. But he couldn't provide any, he just looked back at her, forlorn.

The bellowing noise thundered through the forest again, louder than before. And the heavy footsteps seemed to be approaching, the thudding shaking the ground around them. Closer, and closer, and closer.

"Chantelle?" Rani gasped, turning to the aged woman and trying her best to drown out the noise. "What do you mean, how are you here?"

"The elevator. It took me." Chantelle whispered. "It took me and - it's been forty-six years!"

"You left a couple minutes ago!" Rani protested.

"I counted every single day," Chantelle wailed. "Forty-six years I've been stuck here. And now you're stuck too."

To Be Continued...