Like we were on a bungee cord, the elevator came to a halt, and bounced, causing us all to fall over into the center of the floor. When we stopped swaying, we all carefully detached our self’s from one another and stood up.

It was silent for about point-five seconds, until all hell broke loose.

“What the just happened?!” Minho yelled, moving his hands to his head and tugging at his hair.

“Oh. My. God. I just almost died; holy … what the ?” Jjong began a mantra of ‘what the ’ as he slowly fell down into a sitting position. I just sort of watched – I couldn’t think of a necessary movement, so I just stood still – until I couldn’t take their constant ranting and whining.

“Shut up!” I yelled, their heads snapped over to look at me, eyes wide, “Shut up! For s sakes! We’re not dead! So get a grip!”

No one made a sound, we all just sort of stared at each other, I recovered from my outburst first and made my way slowly to the elevator doors. I inspected the gap, and slid my figures between the slightly ajar spaces. I pulled them open with ease and leaned out just far enough to see if we were where I thought we were.

“Aha!” I exclaimed about to pull myself back into the lift, when I was suddenly tugged back into a chest.

“Kibum! What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I looked up and back to see Jjong’s worried face staring back at me. I smirked and slipped out form his grasp. I turned around and smiled.

“Saving your .” I said with a snarky tone before continuing seriously, “We’re between two floors, which leads me to believe two things – as I expected we were only falling for about eight or ten floors, equal to about fifteen to twenty seconds, if my estimated math is correct,”

“No ing way – it felt like we were falling for hours how did seconds get into that equation?” Minho butted in; I narrowed my eyes at him.

“If we’d been falling for anything over a minute we’d be a pancake on the shaft floor,” I said in monotone, “Anyway, this means we have cell service. Which means we can call for help – if anyone believes us.” I said taking out my phone – double checking it wasn’t broken.

“How did you know…?” I held up a hand to stop Jjong from continuing.

“Instinct.” I said simply.

“Call Taemin first – make sure Jinki and him made it to the top.” I slowly turned my head to look at Minho. My mouth fell open; it hadn’t even crossed my mind that Taemin and Jinki could be in this situation – or worse. I started dialing rapidly, pulling the phone to my ear with a damn quickness.

“Pick up, pick up…” I whispered hopefully.

“Hyung?” I heard Taemin’s voice echo through the speaker – I let out a huge breath. I placed my had on my chest as a sign of relief, I looked over and nodded at the two, they visually relaxed.

“Taemin? Where are you?” I asked carefully, there was a pause.

“Looking for you Hyung! Where are you guys? We’re on our floor, we waited by your elevator, but it never opened, so we thought you headed to our room, but when we got there, you weren’t there either…”he trailed off in a panic. I started to breathe heavily, unsure of what to tell him. I was about to open my mouth when my hand started to shake, soon enough I was choking back tears. I clutched the phone, desperately trying to get any words out. Someone tapped me on the shoulder; I turned to see Minho with his hand open, asking for the phone. I nodded and handed him it. As soon as he stepped away to talk, I fell to the floor, hugging my knees. What happened to my calm, cool and collective demeanor?

“Kibum.” I looked up at Jjong, tears blurring my vision slightly. He knelt down beside me, and I shook my head.

“I’m sorry,” I said quietly, trying to keep my voice even, “I know I had a plan and I thought of how to get out, and I know it’s not going to be a problem, but… but…”

“You’re scared.” He finished for me; I closed my eyes and let a few tears fall down my cheeks before roughly whipping them away.

“I’m sorry.” I repeated, standing up. “I’m good now.” Jjong slowly rose to a standing position and gave me a worried look. I smiled at him confidently, reassuring him. He gave me a crooked smile in return.

“Problem solved.” Minho said. I peered around Jjong’s shoulder to see him holding up my phone, shaking it back and forth a few times before handing it back to me. I took it and slipped din back into my back pocket.

“What?” I asked.

“I said, it’s been taken care of. Yeong-Ji has hotel staff and emergency people coming. I told them what you said about us only falling a few floors s they’re checking floors 20 to 25 first, then going down from there.” I smiled and nodded – I knew it would be okay… I just had a little panic attack is all.

---

We were sitting against the back of the elevator, looking at the pried open doors. We’d gotten my ipod out of my bag and had some music playing just for back ground noise.

You’re probably wondering how all of a sudden I have a ‘bag’ to get an ipod out of – I was too. Apparently Minho had been holding our bags the entire time. I don’t know either okay?

“It’s been fifteen minutes,” I said out loud, not accusingly or anything, just stating the time to fill the silent void that was this elevator.

Suddenly the doors that were on the floor above us started to open. I saw a crowbar push through and pulled the closed halves apart. I jumped up an leaned out into the shaft again. When the doors opened, I saw a few faces appear. I smiled up at them.

“Hey there.” I said cheerily. One of the faces disappeared after being shoved out of the way; suddenly I was looking at Yeong-Ji.

“Oh my god! Are you okay?!” I nodded.

“Little bruised I bet, but we’re good.” She sighed and shook her head, moving back.

“Get them out of there!” she screamed, I ducked back into the elevator and put my hands on my hips.

“Minho! You’re up!”

It took a bit of planning, but the figured if we all stepped in the right places, and if we followed what they said, we’d get out no problem. Minho just has to wear a rope-like-thing around his wrists and pretty much climb out.

That went smoothly enough. Jjong asked if I wanted to go next, I shook my head and let him go first. I waited behind him has his got himself set up. I went over to my bag to sling it over my shoulders as Minho and Jjong did with theirs.

When I bent down to grab it, something caught my eyes again. I looked down at the corner of the floor. I squinted and stared for a little while but eventually I realized.

I saw little bits of dirt and dust bouncing up and down. I reached for the railing and felt it start to shake too. I closed my eyes and listen carefully. I heard something from above us again. I waited.

I snapped my eyes open. .

I turned around and saw Jjong was just about half way through. He wouldn’t make it. He’d be killed if he was between the main floor and the elevator. I’d have to pull him back.

I lurched forward and grabbed onto his waist.

“Kibum, what the are you doing?!” he yelled back at me, obviously shocked.

“Saving your .” I commented back, “You have to get back in here.”

“Kibum let go.”

“No!” I pulled and he started to fall back but he somehow held his balance after a short while, “Please! Get back inside!”

“Kibum are you insane?” he voice was rising, he was losing his patients. I cringed and leaned over to touch the railing – not much time.

“Jonghyun, I’m begging you. Please.” He didn’t budge, I tugged again.

“Kibum!” I wrapped my arms around his torso and began pulled back.

“Jonghyun! Listen to me! Please!” I could feel it on the floor now, the vibrating getting worse.

“No!”

“Jjong!”

“Let go!”

“Jonghyun please!” I’m giving it ten seconds.

“You’re being ridiculous!” I gripped tighter and squeezed my eyes shut. Four seconds.

“Jonghyun!” I shrieked at the top of my lungs, I jumped back with all my might.

We both fell back into the elevator, coming down onto our butts.

That wasn’t the only thing going down though.

Three, two, one.