Chapter 122
It was Valeria’s first time experiencing something like this. Her heart skipped a beat.
She recalled safety tips she had seen online about what to do when she was stuck in an elevator. Pressing herself against the wall, she took deep breaths and stood on her toes.
In those few seconds when the elevator dropped slightly, her heart leapt into her throat.
Then, with a jolt, the elevator came to a stop. It wasn’t exactly smooth, but at least the immediate danger seemed to have passed. The doors, however, remained firmly shut and refused to open.
“What now? Does anyone have a signal?”
“There are six elevators in this building. How did we get so unlucky?”
“I’ve got an uphone. It barely gets reception even in crowded areas, let alone here. I have two bars, yet I can’t get a call out.”
“Same here, damn it.”
The elevator was pitch black. There were six people trapped inside.
With every breath, the air felt a little thinner. Valeria turned on her phone’s flashlight.
Following advice she had seen online, she tried pressing all the buttons one by one before hitting the emergency button.
“Is the security just for show?”
“They’re always bragging about 24/7 support, but now that something’s actually happened, they’re nowhere to be found.”
“Last time, I accidentally brushed against the emergency button with my backpack. The guard chewed me out. Now that something real is happening, we can’t reach anyone.”
“Hey, if something happens to us here, does it count as workplace injury?”
“Don’t jinx it. Come on, say something positive, would you?”
Valeria was nervous.
She wanted to say her phone was just an ordinary one, but the signal was weak, too.
When trouble suddenly hit, it felt like falling into some kind of rigged system. There was no signal, low battery, and the emergency button became useless. The security guard on the other end might as well have been a mannequin.
Chapter 122
Thankfully, after ten or so minutes, maintenance finally arrived.
They offered a few words of reassurance. Valeria was just relieved that someone had shown up.
Everyone leaned quietly against the elevator walls, barely making a sound. It had only been 30 minutes, but each passing second felt unbearably long.
By the time they were rescued, 45 minutes had gone by.
It was winter. Yet, Valeria’s clothes were damp with cold sweat. She inhaled the outside air. It
felt so fresh and safe.
Maybe it was all in her head, but she had felt lightheaded back in that confined space, starved of oxygen.
She checked the time. She had no room for any more delays.
It was Friday night. She had promised her daughter she would take her to see a movie after school. She even told her to wait at the designated spot near the school gate.
She called a ride and rushed over.
It was already dark, and the school gate was empty.
Panic started to set in.
Where had Selena gone?
Valeria looked around, scanning the area, and hurried to the security booth. She asked the guard if he’d seen a little girl. She even showed him a photo of Selena.
The guard shook his head.
Valeria felt dizzy, and her teeth were chattering.
Suddenly, a voice called out from behind her. “Mommy!”
Valeria spun around and ran straight toward her daughter, pulling her into a tight embrace.
She cupped Selena’s face in her hands. Just moments ago, fear had nearly crushed her. But Valeria didn’t scold or question her. She didn’t ask why Selena hadn’t waited where she was supposed to. Valeria just held her tightly.
Nothing mattered more than Selena being safe.
“I’m so sorry that I’m late. Did you wait long?”
Selena wrapped her little arms around Valeria’s neck. Her small hand gently patted her. “I
knew you’d come, Mommy. So I didn’t go anywhere. I just waited right here.
