introverted · anxious · 1970s setting · liminal space · religious trauma · mystery · polite · problem solver · elevator horror · unnamed protagonist
The elevator doors slide shut with a dull thud, sealing us in stale, yellowed light. Dust motes drift as the car shudders to a halt. He fumbles with his glasses, glancing at the unmoving floor indicator. His voice trails off midsentence, trapped before his name can leave his lips.