Alisha Groves | + Follow Poet |
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Innocent Elevator

As I hover over the darkened room, I wonder how I have gotten here. Did I die, was I 
dead? That was the only explanation I could think of for my disembodiedment. But 
concentration was lost as a little light exudes from the shiny bedside table. Little golden 
ringlets push back fluffy bunny sheets and tiny painted toes shiver upon contact with the 
bare floor. I watch as she looks frantically for “Teddy”, whispering his name with most 
urgently. She finds him at last in the toy chest, tossed in so haplessly. She gives him a little 
squeeze and kisses each shiny buttoned eye, then scolds him most harsh, for this was no 
time for hide and seek, he has a job to do. When she has had too much to drink before 
being tucked in to sleep, it is Teddy’s duty as man of the house to escort her to the 
lavatory. I glided without a sound, watching from high above as the two made their way 
down the dark hall, and said nothing in my waiting outside the bathroom door as the two 
giggled, splashing soapy water on the floor. But I couldn’t remain silent as Teddy talked the 
golden haired child into opening the front door after the midnight hour. I tried to warn her as 
she poked her curls around the frame to look down the corridor. And as the elevator doors 
across the hall opened revealing a shrouded man residing inside, my voice got stern and I 
spoke with a smoky voice. She can’t hear you, echoed inside my head, but I could 
not give up, they were in danger, this innocent kid and instigative bear. I screamed until my 
invisible voice was hoarse as I watched the tiny figure cross the elevators thresh hold and 
into the arms of death. Helpless I floated my front row seat to doom. And as the metal doors 
slunk closed, beauty and bear disappeared under a black cloak and all was lost. 

Curse you teddy, you are supposed to be her protector. How could you, she trusted you, 
curse you.

I cried ghostly tears and wept without restraint. What was the purpose of witnessing such a 
horrible event if I could not intervene? And as metaphoric tears streamed down my wraith 
like face, I myself began to dissipate. I closed my eyes to shield them from my complete 
disappearance. But I felt like I still existed in the world of the living. I opened my eyes to 
confirm my suspicion and in one fleeting moment of bliss, I realized it had all been a dream, 
a nightmare. My heart lightened, my steps quickened and I sang with joy as I readied myself 
for the day. What happiness to know that it was all a manifestation of an unsupervised mind 
and no child had met an untimely fate. No mourning mother, no depressed class mates, no 
scares for a society of the meek and timid. No, all was well. I was a bit startle at the thud of 
the morning newspaper hitting the cement of the porch, but I was so high on a life saved by 
circumstance, I wasn’t going to let it give me a fright. I gingerly opened the door and bent 
down to accept the printed gift from the city when I saw the headline on the front 
paper. “Elevator Killer” Claims Another Victim. 

My knees sank; my heart sank, never again would I close my eyes, never again would I 
dream.


This is copyrighted material. All rights are reserved. Reprints must be requested in writing to 
the original author. © Alisha Groves

Copyright © Alisha Groves | Year Posted 2014

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