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