Mistake

“Fourth floor, please.”

The elevator man eyed Tim.

“There’s only one way, and that’s down.”

The door closed. Gravity reversed, and Tim hung in mid-air before crashing to the floor. The car hurled downward.

“There must be a mistake!” he shouted.

The elevator man didn’t flinch. “Vader knows…”

Tim scrambled to his feet, grasping the handrail, he pulled himself upright. He smashed buttons, but nothing changed; the car continued to race down.

Heart throbbing, he scanned the panel.

“Only in an emergency.”

He leaped to the other side. “This is definitely an emergency!” He slammed his fist against the red button, and the elevator screeched to a stop. Tim tumbled to the floor as the door slid open.

The doorman sneered. “This had better be good. No one ever goes back.”

White light seared the interior of the car.

Tim shielded his eyes.

“Come,” a bass voice resonated.

He stepped out, shaking head to toe.

“Speak.” the voice demanded.

“Sir, I, I… I didn’t mean to go down.”

“Most people don’t, but they do.”

"I didn’t mean to do it." Tim pulled out a yellow sticky note pad.

“Very good. Send him up, Claude.”

Claude reached out. "Hand it over."