Chapter 51

Harold got on the elevator at work. It had about ten people in it but it didn't seem crowded. The elevator was one of those with three glass walls. Harold looked around and realized he knew no one on the elevator. In one corner, by the buttons stood a man with a tightly tailored suit of green velour. The man originally had black hair but it was heavily frosted white. He had light blue eyes and an inquisitive look.

"Seventh floor, please." Harold was not near the buttons and the man with white hair pushed seven for him. The doors closed and the elevator began to go up. It continued to accelerate vertically and went right past seven. The man next to Harold had pushed eight. Another lady pushed ten. The rest pressed 13. It stopped at none of the choices. The elevator continued to rise. Harold quickly moved to the buttons. He pushed all the floors above the one on the indicator. All lit, but the elevator continued to accelerate upward. The man with white hair just watched. Harold looked out the windows on the side of the elevator and realized that they must be near the top of the building. Then he quickly remembered that this was only a fourteen story building and the numeric indicator was reading 20 and counting. He looked again at the counter, and then out the windows. The elevator was continuing its upward course but not quite vertical. It started to arc over like a rocket without guidance. The little man with white hair watched and his eyes seemed not blue but white.

Harold pushed the "door close" button and the trajectory of the elevator seemed to change. The little man with white hair watched intently. His eyes were now fully white. The elevator was completing its arc and was starting to descend towards the ground. It was accelerating and Harold realized that he had to control it to avoid certain destruction when it hit the ground. He pushed the "door open" button and the elevator turned more toward the ground. The alarm button shifted it to the left and the "stop" button to the right. Harold could see the streets below rushing toward the elevator. They were going to crash into a street between several tall buildings. He pushed the "door close" button with great rapidity and the elevator began to lessen the arc towards earth. It strained like a fighter plane on a strafing run and just missed the street. It shot between two buildings and rocketed skyward. Harold could not accurately control the vehicle. He was not quite sure how to stop the vehicle and worried that it would crash and burn on impact. It was like the tail wagging the dog. The elevator would shoot left, then right. He would just barely miss the buildings. No one seemed terrified. The little man with white hair just watched.

The elevator then shot skyward, into a black night sky. Harold could see the stars and the planets. It rushed skyward. Harold wondered what would happen when they left the atmosphere. Elevators are rarely gas tight and he assumed the air would leak out at this altitude and they would suffocate. No one else seemed concerned. The elevator just continued to shoot skyward, and continued to accelerate. The night sky was quite dark around them and then the elevator began to arc over again. It seemed to know where it was going and Harold's controls no longer seemed to work. The elevator descended a long way and soon there was a town below them with a single main street, much like an old western town of movie fame. The town was dark but Harold could see the outlines of the buildings. The elevator swooped down the street, slowed to a stop, and landed, base down in the middle of the street.

The doors opened and the passengers got out. The street was dark and Harold walked over to the nearest building. It was an old western saloon now boarded up, except for the door. He looked for a phone to call Emily but there was none. The others followed him into the saloon. The inside was quite large and had a few tables around the outside. The little man with silver white hair and white eyes walked into the saloon and then walked over to one corner. His eyes seemed to emit a bluish-white light and his teeth were now quite prominent. He actually had canine teeth that extended beyond his lower lip. His hair had turned silver-blue-white and his face seemed to emit light. He walked to a door in the saloon, opened it, and walked through. The door closed. Harold went over to where the door had been but there was only blackness.

Harold turned around and noticed a very large circular rough hewn wooden table held together with metal straps. On it there were a number of weapons. The mace had a long metal handle with a metal ball at one end with sharp metal spikes sticking out. There were several broad swords and heavy chains all of silver metal. Several pikes with sharp blades at one end were stacked on one side. There were ten weapons on the table and ten people in the room. Each milled around the table, looking at the weapons. None seemed concerned or confused about why they were there. Harold suddenly realized why they were there, where ever there was. He realized, no one said anything, no instructions were given, it just dawned on him, that he was supposed to participate in a blood sport. The last survivor would go home. The nine other people did not seemed concerned. Even the women had no emotions at all. No one said anything. Harold started to speak, but what to say? He realized he had to tell these people not to touch any of the weapons. As soon as anyone touched a weapon the game was on until only one was left. How to convince them? What to say? Where was he? Why was he here? How to get home? He realized he was very calm, cool, collected, but he was the only one who realized what touching the weapons meant. Then he awoke in a cold sweat. Emily was next to him. He was in bed with his wife.

Chapter 52

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