The Girl in the Elevator

The stench of cheap, stale perfume assaulted Sarah’s senses the moment she stepped into the elevator. Choking back the bile that rose from her gut to her mouth, she hastily punched the button for the tenth floor and pressed the door close button. She was running late for the meeting, and waiting another few minutes in the lobby for the elevator to return would cost her dearly.

The only other occupant of the lift, and the likely source of the unholy fumes, was a girl in her mid-twenties. Her bright-painted nails matched the loud shade of eye shadow on her eyelids and the profane hue on her lips. She wore cheap neon-coloured high-heeled peep-toes, a scarlet blouse, and a blue denim short skirt. Sarah, a personal stylist catering to some of the city’s most renowned names, noted these details within seconds.

The girl must be in her early twenties. An orange vest, reserved for the building’s janitors, hung over her forearm, and her left foot tapped to music playing on her mobile phone, which she enjoyed through pink wireless ear pods. A mop and a bucket rested beside her right foot. Everything about the girl screamed tackiness, and Sarah, who had been feeling queasy since morning, felt her lungs constrict and her stomach twist in discomfort.

The elevator stopped with a jolt on the eighth floor, and the lights began to flicker. “Unbelievable! Can this day get any worse?” thought Sarah. The woozy feeling intensified, her legs turning to jelly. It seemed she would collapse at any moment.

“Hey! Are you all right?” the girl’s shrill voice buzzed in Sarah’s ears. Before she could respond, her mouth opened involuntarily, and she vomited a large amount of gooey liquid across the floor of the elevator.

Sarah felt someone holding her hair and gently rubbing her back as she doubled over to puke some more. After what seemed like an eternity, she felt relieved. The girl offered her a bottle of water and some tissues to clean herself.

“I’m sorry for all the mess. I have a meeting in three minutes. I think I will be late,” Sarah said in a single breath.

The lights steadied inside as the elevator resumed its ascent to the tenth floor. In a moment, the door opened, revealing the waiting area of the office where Sarah’s meeting was scheduled. She looked from the mess on the floor to the girl, panic written all over her face.

“You go ahead and I’ll handle this,” the girl said, waving the mop in her hand.

“Thanks! I owe you one,” Sarah blurted as she rushed towards the waiting area. The door closed with a soft jingle behind her.

Once the deal was signed, Sarah heaved a sigh of relief. On her way out, she decided to thank the girl in the elevator and offer her something in return for her help. At the reception desk in the lobby, she described the girl’s attire in detail, as she had forgotten to ask for her name. The receptionist called the hospitality in charge, who knew nothing about the girl since they were mostly temps. Disappointed, Sarah left the building.

Fifteen minutes later, someone from hospitality called the reception desk to inform that the girl with the same description had been fired earlier in the day for reporting late to duty.

Dr. Sonika Sethi