21: The Elevator's Curse

The old apartment building stood like a forgotten sentinel at the edge of the city, its paint peeling and windows fogged with years of neglect. The only sign of life was a flickering neon sign above the entrance, advertising the "Elevator of 21," a service that had long since been abandoned. Yet, for one man, the elevator was his only hope.

Tom had moved into the building with his wife, Lily, and their young daughter, Emily. The neighborhood was rumored to be haunted, but they had dismissed the stories as mere urban legends. However, when the elevator in their building became the only way to reach the upper floors, they found themselves face to face with the supernatural.

The first time Tom rode the elevator, he noticed a strange marking on the wall—a number 21. He brushed it off as a random scratch, but as days turned into weeks, the marking became more pronounced. The elevator, too, seemed to have a mind of its own. Sometimes it would open when no one was there, and other times it would stop halfway up the shaft, leaving Tom stranded.

One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, Tom was forced to use the elevator to reach his apartment. The door closed with a metallic clunk, and the elevator began its ascent. As it reached the 21st floor, the lights flickered, and the elevator stopped. The doors wouldn't open. Tom pressed the button, but it did nothing. He pounded on the doors, but no one came to help.

Desperate, he pounded on the wall, seeking any sign of life. To his horror, he heard a faint whisper, "Help me, Tom. Help me, please." The whisper grew louder, more insistent, and Tom realized that the voice was coming from the marking on the wall. He pressed the number 21, and the door creaked open, revealing a small, hollowed-out space behind it.

Inside, Tom found an old woman, her eyes wide with terror and her skin as pale as the walls. "I've been trapped here for years," she said, her voice trembling. "The elevator brought me here, and it won't let me go."

Tom's heart raced as he tried to understand what was happening. He looked around and noticed more markings on the wall, each one leading to a different room. He followed the woman, who led him through the labyrinthine corridors of the building.

As they reached the 21st floor, Tom saw the source of the woman's terror. The elevator, now glowing with an eerie blue light, was hovering in the air. The woman's eyes widened in horror as the elevator began to descend. "No! No! No!" she screamed, but it was too late.

Tom watched in horror as the elevator took the woman away, leaving him alone in the corridor. He pressed the number 21, but the elevator didn't respond. He turned to the woman, who had vanished, and felt a chill run down his spine.

The next day, Tom tried to convince Lily and Emily to leave the building, but they refused to believe him. "It's just your imagination," Lily said, brushing off Tom's fears. "Come on, let's go get some groceries."

As they left the building, Tom noticed the elevator, now stationary, and the number 21 glowing faintly. He hesitated, then pressed the button. The elevator door opened, and he stepped inside. The door closed, and the elevator began its ascent.

When the elevator reached the 21st floor, Tom pressed the number 21. The door opened, revealing a room filled with mirrors. He stepped inside, and the mirrors began to move, forming a path that led to the elevator. He followed the path, but as he reached the elevator, it was gone.

Tom found himself standing in the corridor, looking at the number 21 on the wall. He pressed the button, but the elevator didn't respond. He looked around and saw the old woman, her eyes filled with sorrow. "You must help me," she said. "The elevator won't let me go."

Tom nodded, and the woman led him through the mirrors once more. When they reached the elevator, it was gone. Instead, they found themselves in a room filled with old photographs and letters. The woman pointed to a picture of a young woman, her eyes filled with fear. "She was trapped here too," she said. "She tried to escape, but the elevator... it never lets go."

Tom looked at the photograph and felt a chill run down his spine. He knew he had to help the woman, but how? He looked around the room and saw a small, ornate box on a table. He opened it and found a key. The woman took the key and placed it in Tom's hand. "Use this," she said. "It will free me."

Tom followed the woman through the mirrors once more, and when they reached the elevator, it was there. He inserted the key into the lock, and the elevator door opened. The woman stepped inside, and Tom followed her. The elevator began its descent, and Tom felt a sense of relief.

When the elevator reached the ground floor, the doors opened, and the woman stepped out. She looked at Tom and smiled, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Tom," she said. "You have freed me."

Tom nodded, feeling a strange sense of peace. As he turned to leave the building, he looked back at the elevator. The number 21 was still glowing faintly, but this time, it seemed to be gone.

The next day, Tom and his family left the building, never to return. They moved to a new neighborhood, away from the old apartment building and the haunted elevator. But Tom couldn't shake the feeling that the elevator was still there, waiting for someone to press the number 21.

As the years passed, Tom often wondered about the woman and the others who had been trapped in the elevator. He couldn't help but feel that the elevator was a curse, a reminder of the darkness that lay just beneath the surface of the world.

And so, the story of the Haunted Elevator of 21 continued to spread through the neighborhood, a chilling reminder of the supernatural forces that could lurk in the most unexpected places.