“Hey, John.” 

“Hey, Jimmy.”

John stepped into the elevator as Jimmy moved away from the doors to give him space. John lifted a coffee cup to his lips. Written on the side in red Sharpie was “Good Luck, Soldier!” He blushed as he thought of the barista in the cafeteria who had memorized his order. That morning, she’d recited it to him before he’d even had the chance to speak. 

“Eighth floor?” Jimmy asked. His coworker gave a thumbs up, and the doors closed. 

The elevator was a small space with fluorescent lighting and a bar that ran along the walls at waist level. Soft music played from the speaker above the buttons, and as the metal box thumped along, climbing higher and higher, John looked over at Jimmy. Like himself, Jimmy was on the taller side, with short hair combed back as per company policy. After spending a week with blue hair, the management team told Jimmy to dye it back to brown. 

It’s a shame, John thought. Jimmy looked better with the blue. 

“By the way,” John began, “did you hear about Julia?” 

“Julia Jenson or Julia June?” 

“Julia from accounting.” 

“Julia Jenson.” Jimmy nodded, resting against the side of the elevator, arms folded. “What happened?” 

“I heard she got demoted.” 

“Lucky bitch.” 

“Jealous?” 

“Envious,” Jimmy corrected. “Over in accounting, we double-check all the shit they do on the fourth floor, and believe me when I say it’s a mess. I don’t think I’ve slept more than three hours in the past month. Wherever Tammy is now, I’m sure she’s getting a good night’s sleep.” 

John shrugged as the elevator came to a stop. “That was fast.” 

Jimmy pointed to the glowing number on the screen above the doors that had opened. “Not our floor.” 

A woman carrying two cups of coffee–one in each hand–stepped inside, wearing a pair of bright yellow stilettos. John and Jimmy moved aside, allowing her to stand between them. She let out a long, exasperated sigh, then took a sip from the cup in her left hand.  

“Good morning, Jane,” Jimmy chirped. “Eighth floor?” 

“Morning, Jimmy. Morning, John. Eighth floor.” 

She took another sip, this time from the cup in her right hand as the doors closed again. Like the other two, she wore a white suit and red tie, with the company logo–a strawberry–sewn into the fabric. Her blonde hair was tied up in a messy bun, and behind her glasses were a pair of sunken eyes. John noticed the scars that ran down her neck, into the collar of her suit, and wondered if she hadn’t been to the eighth floor in a while.  

“We were just talking about Julia Jenson,” Jimmy said after a moment of silence. “Apparently, she got demoted.” 

Jane took turns sipping from both cups in her hands before she addressed Jimmy. “No? She got fired.” 

“Fired?” Jimmy and John asked at the same time, exchanging a look of disbelief. 

“Fired,” Jane confirmed. Her hands were shaking now. She’d finished six cups already that morning, and the medic on the third floor had advised her against drinking more than one a day. Her voice came out in short bursts of breath as her heart pounded away. “She missed too many meetings.” 

“Oh,” Jimmy said. 

“Oh,” John echoed. “Speaking of meetings, Jane, when’s the last time you went up there?” 

Jane winced.  

“Yeah,” Jimmy added. “I haven’t seen you around in a few weeks. Are you…” 

She squeezed the cup in her right hand tighter. Her eyes blinked rapidly, and Jimmy rested his hand on her shoulder until she calmed down. It took a minute. “I’ll be fine. That’s why I’m going today.” 

A small ding echoed above their heads, indicating that they’d left the seventh floor. Jimmy chugged the rest of his coffee, and Jane did the same. There was a small, fist-sized hole below the button panel, which John and Jane used to dispose of their empty cups. While wiping the excess liquid that had dripped down his lips, John noticed a small brown stain on his clothes. He tried to rub it away with his finger, but this only succeeded in making it worse. As the stain spread, Jane reached into her pocket and pulled out a napkin.  

“Thanks, Jane.” 

The number eight flickered across the screen, and the music was replaced with an automated countdown. 

“25,” said a cold voice.  

John wetted the napkin with his tongue and began to pat the stain. 

“24.” 

“I hope there are bagels this time,” Jimmy said. 

“21.” 
“I’d be happy with muffins again, even if they’re stale.” Jane wrapped her hands around the bar. 

“17.” 

“Shit, this stain isn’t coming out.” 

“13.” 

“I’ve got a spray for that in my office,” Jimmy offered. 

“8.” 

“Can we go there after the meeting?” 

“5.” 

“Sure. Jane, wanna come, too? I’ve got those chocolates you like.” 

“3.” 

“My dentist said to stay away from sugar for a while. Do you have any Skittles?” 

“2.” 

“Girl, that’s still sugar,” Jimmy laughed. “But yes.” 

“1.” 

“Wonderful,” Jane said, with a trembling smile. “Something to look forward to.” 

John tossed away the dirty napkin and held on to the bar. Jimmy chuckled. Jane closed her eyes. 

The screen went blank as the lights turned off, plunging them into darkness. 

Then, they were falling.  

The floor dropped beneath their feet as the elevator plummeted down into the Earth, and beyond. John felt his ears pop with the change in pressure, and he held his breath–as he always forgot to do beforehand– while his feet floated in front of him. Jimmy and Jane were in the same position, hands gripping the bar for dear life as their legs waved in the air. The fall was much faster than the rise, but it always felt longer. John’s head was on fire, even as he felt the elevator begin to slow down, and he braced for what was coming next. Jane, who used to scream every time they dropped from the eighth floor, found that it was a lot more pleasant if she imagined herself skydiving. On days like these, she’d normally wear flats, but she didn’t plan to attend today’s meeting at all. As she waited for the elevator, she’d been seconds away from chickening out. She wasn’t ready today. She wasn’t wearing the right shoes. She hadn’t done her makeup properly. God, she didn’t even know what she’d say to the Director, who would no doubt ask about her month-long absence. Just as she was about to turn around, the doors opened before her, and Jimmy had ushered her inside. 

Yes, she decided. Whatever happened next would be Jimmy’s fault. Not hers. 

Jimmy, meanwhile, had been counting the seconds. It always took exactly 135 for them to reach the lower floor, and so far, he was at 125. He brought his legs closer to the ground, bending them slightly in preparation for the landing.  

130.

131.

132.

133.

134-

A harsh thud vibrated through the elevator, sending waves of shock and pain into the three VexWorth employees. Jane couldn’t help it. She screamed, almost as loud as the metal clangs reverberating through the air. The lights flew back on as she fell to her knees, and Jimmy, who landed on his feet–now burning with agony– bent down beside her. He held the woman in his arms as he, too, struggled to catch his breath. John sank to the floor, hand pressed to his chest, which was thumping up and down rapidly. It never got easier. But the time between meetings was usually enough to make them underestimate the pain. Within a week, John would tell himself that it hadn’t truly been this bad. And he’d believe it, praying desperately that the next time would be better. His knees ached as he held onto the wall for support, forcing himself to stand. Jimmy did the same, helping Jane, who was shaking like a newborn fawn. She refused to look up from the ground. 

The elevator spoke to them once more, opening its doors wide: “Welcome to Hell.”