i was counting the numbers, and singing a line from that old coldplay song, i was counting as it was ticking. the elevator's display is a drag, the numbers were too slow. i stood back and thought of what she said, about boundaries, how she knew the state and made me feel like i've been awful in communication. "but that was fair..." i whispered. but that was fair it echoes.

after forever, i heard the sound DING! it was the 5th floor. i stepped out singing the coldplay song, not realizing i've been enveloped by darkness, no presence of light except the elevator's. i cut the singing, turned around. but it was too late, the doors shut and my whole body disappeared. lonely air wraps around me, i cannot decipher anything, there were no windows or doors or floor, i was floating into nothingness, i can't move. i was trying to find the call buttons but they were gone too. this wasn't the 5th floor. this was a dead end.

or so i thought. being scared and all i feel my blood rushing to my face, i was in a panic. i need to focus but the mind plays tricks almost every second. what if i can't get back? what if i tripped finding a way out? i was scared to even squint with my peripheral vision, i was stuck and cold. now i'm cursing the whole asian horror flick concepts. a white ghastly face. stop the imgainations, i'll freak out.

i closed my eyes, as if there had been a difference, just to make me a bit braver, a bit stronger. then i started singing again. same song from the parachutes album, my heart is yours, it's you that i'll hold on to, yea... i almost can't hear my voice, i was hearing something else. i heard someone talking. it's a girl, that's the first thing that came into mind: a lady's voice. she was telling something, it was vague, but after a while i understood. she was calling my name, a far cry. she was instructing me of something, it was far but i'm trying to decipher. and last it hit me. she was telling me to smile. a smile. amidst the dark. and so i wondered for a while. the voice disappeared but not the darkness, i was stuck, asking what the heck was that? most peculiar thing. now. in the dark. smile? i was not to lose hope, i wanted out. and i tried, i smiled. i felt like 10 trucks rumbled under me, i was smiling.

DING! the elevator was back. i stepped back to the light as if i was deprived for a lifetime. i went back in, and stood back singing. i stared at the darkness for a long while, wearing my smile, thinking of that girl, thanking her. i know she wasn't a ghost, she was real, she was living inside me. i smile for her. the doors shut.#