NOW
‘Tell me what this is all about, Heidi,’ Marianne says.
‘What do you mean?’ I ask.
‘This lift. This story you’re telling me. What is it all about?’
I give her my best confused face, wishing I’d thought to practise it in the mirror at home. ‘You’re making no sense.’
‘I know that you’re involved in this. I don’t know how or why, exactly, but I know.’
‘How?’ It’s not the question I should ask. I’m revealing too much. But I have to know how I stuffed up.
Marianne smiles, like she was hoping I’d ask.
‘Before, when I mentioned the building’s manager, I called him Hap,’ she says. ‘That’s what I call him. It’s a Death of a Salesman reference, kind of an in-joke between us. But his real name is Harold. I didn’t call him that, but you did when you mentioned him. How do you know his name?’
‘I … don’t think I said Harold.’ It’s the best I can do and it’s not great. Nobody has to tell me it’s not great.
Marianne is unimpressed. ‘What’s it going to be? Out the hatch or start talking?’
‘Can I finish my story first?’
‘No.’
‘I’d really like to finish my story.’ My voice is deeper.
More like myself and not this person I’ve been pretending to be in here.
I’ve dropped the act. There’s no point anymore.
Marianne might not know who I am or why I’m here, but she knows I’m not some random teenager who got stuck in this lift with her by mistake. (You knew that too, right?)
‘Tell me what this is about!’ Marianne demands, crossing her arms.
We’re both standing now.
‘I’m not going to hurt you,’ I say, which never sounds as reassuring as it should.
Marianne laughs. Clearly, this has not occurred to her, which is sort of an insult. (Can she not see my biceps in this dress?)
I push the intercom button. ‘Yusef,’ I say. ‘Can you keep us where we are while I bring Marianne up to speed. We’re nearly done.’
When I’m done, Marianne is looking at her phone. ‘I suppose this is your doing too? You’ve blocked the signal?’ she says.
‘It’s doing my head in too, if that helps,’ I say, and it’s almost a confession. ‘Let me finish my story and I’ll explain.’
Marianne looks up at the black hole in the ceiling of the lift. I can’t see her going out into that darkness, but it’s the one thing that would really mess up the plan right now.
‘It’s not safe to go out there,’ I say. ‘You’re safe in here. Out there you could fall, or the lift could move. None of us want that to happen. We don’t want you to be hurt.’
‘Who’s we?’
‘Let me explain.’
‘Okay,’ Marianne says. ‘But speed it up.’