Chapter 108 - Trapped (1/2)

Stella tapped her foot again and again on the black marbled floor, producing faint clicking sounds. She was standing close to the elevator door so that she could rush out as soon as they opened. Her eyes were fixed on the changing numbers as the elevator ascended to their destination.

Taylor was leaning against the back of the elevator as he looked her fidgeting self, his lips curling up into a devilish smirk.

'What is wrong with this elevator today?' She cursed inwardly. She couldn't comprehend why, but sharing the same space as him was freaking her out. She could feel his eyes on herself, sending chills down her spine.

She almost heaved a sigh of relief when she saw that they were on the 21st floor.

'Just four more floors Stella.' She thought inwardly, trying to calm her nerves down. But fate definitely had other plans for her.

On the 22nd floor, the elevator stopped with a jerk. The lights switched off after fluctuating for a few seconds, making the small space eerily dark.

Around 15 seconds, later the emergency lights switched on.

Stella kept on pressing the emergency button, again and again, but it wasn't working.

She was beginning to freak out. It wasn't that she was claustrophobic, but her fear was rather related to a bad childhood memory.

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*FLASHBACK*

Stella was eight years old when it happened. She went to a friend's birthday party with her parents, which was held on the rooftop of a five star hotel.

Everyone was having fun and so was Stella. The parents were busy talking to each other while the children ran here and there.

Stella was with Karen, the birthday girl, and two other girls who were friends with Karen. They were chatting happily when one of the other two girls suggested that they should go and have a look at the huge swimming pool which was two floors below from where the party was being held.

Karen and the other girl agreed happily with her, so Stella had no choice but to tag along. What she didn't know was that those two girls had something else in their minds.

There were two elevators which opened on the rooftop, one of which was out of order. There was a sign board placed before it, but someone took it and hid it behind the potted plants.

When they arrived before the elevator, the two girls asked Stella to get in first to which she complied. Before Karen could step in, they stopped her and started talking about random things.