The Elevator

The Elevator

by Cameron Cox

Characters:

Lance Phillips: Main Protagonist. Early 30s’, blonde hair, and clean shaven. He is the vice president of software at an unnamed corporation. He commits industrial espionage for a rival company and becomes haunted by a monster that looks just like him but in a distorted, computerized form.

Computer Lance: Main Antagonist. He is a distorted, computerized version of Lance. He confronts Lance and warns him of the dangers that he has brought upon himself and those he cares about. He is also transparent, as nothing physical can touch or hurt him.

Chelsea: Lance’s unseen fiancé. She and Lance are planning on getting married.

Cliff: Another unseen character. He is the man that Lance plans to sell the files of his workplace to for a lump sum of money.

fade in:

EXT. – WORK BUILDING – UNNAMED CITY – EVENING

ZOOM IN on the work building. It’s a big building.

cut to:

int. – work floor

We see that the work floor is empty of people and few lights are around the floor. We cross over to the outside of an office. On the blinded window, we see the words “Lance Phillips, Vice President of Software.”

cut to:

int. – lance’s office

Inside, we see Lance Phillips himself. He sits in front of his computer, typing and clicking really quickly as he sweats. He is committing industrial espionage.

A window pops up on his computer that says, “transfer files?”

Lance slowly moves his mouse over as he adjusts his collar. He clicks the yes button and the transfer process begins.

As he waits for the loading process, his phone goes off. He looks at it and sees that his fiancé, Chelsea, is calling him. He picks up the phone and answers.

lance

Hi, babe.

chelsea (v.o.)

Lance, where are you? I’m at the wedding venue.

lance

(nervous)

Oh, uh… I’m just finishing some stuff up at work. It’s been real crazy today.

Lance looks at his computer and sees that the loading process is almost complete.

CHELSEA (v.o.)

(suspicious)

Are you ok, Lance? You sound like you’re up to something.

lance

No! No, of course not.

Lance gets another call. He looks at it and sees that it’s from someone named Cliff.

lance (cont’d)

Chelsea, I’ll be there in about 15 minutes. Bye.

Lance hangs up on Chelsea and answers Cliff.

CLIFF (V.O.)

Do you have them?

lance

Yes, sir. Files are all downloaded.

Lance goes over to the computer. There is a window that says, “All files downloaded.” Lance takes a flash drive out of his hard drive and puts it in his suitcase.

cliff (v.o.)

Good. Meet me outside the building and we’ll make the exchange.

lance

(nervous)

What if I get caught? I mean, if my people find out what I’ve done, I—

cliff (v.o.)

Will you shut up about that? You won’t get caught unless you talk. Look, they’re not paying what you deserve, right?

lance

Right.

cliff (v.o.)

Exactly! Now, you do this, and you will be paid what’s yours.

lance

Of course.

Lance hangs up his phone and shuts off his computer. He grabs his jacket and suitcase and walks out the door.

int. – work floor

Lance walks across the work floor and towards the elevator. He presses the button and waits.

computer lance (v.o.)

Where are you going?

Lance looks around.

lance

Hello?

No one responds. He shrugs it off and continues to wait.

LANCE

(impatient)

Come on already!

computer lance (v.o.)

Where are you going?

Lance looks around the work floor to see where the voices are coming from. He sees no one nor any source of noise.

LANCE

Okay, whoever’s around, knock it off!

One of the overhead lights starts to flicker, which catches Lance’s attention. Suddenly, more of the lights start to flicker, which begins to make Lance nervous.

computer lance (v.o.)

(sounds closer)

You can’t escape.

Lance becomes frightened and rushes back to the elevator. He sees that the numbers have not changed. The lights flicker more, and Lance quickly heads for the stairs.

int. – stairwell

Lance enters the stairwell and runs really quickly down the stairs. He keeps rushing down the stairs for a few moments as the voices continue to taunt him.

computer lance (v.o.)

You can run, but you can’t hide.

lance

SHUT UP!!!

Lance eventually finds a door and bursts through it.

INT. – WORK FLOOR

Lance starts to loosen up as he looks around the floor. He seems rather familiar with the floors.

Lance walks around the floor and sees the outside of his own office.

lance

(shocked)

No! It can’t be! I just ran down 20 flights of fucking stairs!

computer lance (v.o.)

Unbelievable, isn’t it?

lance

Okay, what’s going on here?! Who are you?! Where are you?! What are you and what do you want?!

computer lance (v.o.)

I am a monster, and you are my creator.

lance

(in denial)

This isn’t real! It can’t be!

computer lance (v.o.)

(taunting)

Oh, but it is indeed.

lance

SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!

Lance goes back to the stairwell.

int. – stairwell

Lance runs down the stairwell again. After a few flights of stairs, Lance comes across a drop. He nearly falls but manages to keep his balance. He turns around and sees the stairs behind him are completely gone.

computer lance (v.o.)

Nowhere to go but down.

Lance looks to his side and sees a door. He bursts through it where he ends up in…

int. – dark hallway

Lance calms down a little.

lance

Thank God that’s over.

The sound of a ding goes off. Lance looks down the hallway and sees an elevator at the end.

Lance walks slowly to the elevator and wonders who could be inside. The elevator opens, and out walks a man who looks like a distorted, digital image on a computer. As the digitized man comes closer, Lance realizes the man is a digitized version of himself. This is Computer Lance.

computer lance

Why, hello there, Lance.

lance

Who are you? What do you want from me?

computer lance

Like I said, I’m a monster, and you are my creator.

lance

(in denial)

This isn’t real. You’re not real.

computer lance

Right, and you committing industrial espionage wasn’t real.

lance

What are you talking about?

computer lance

Don’t play denial with me, Lance. I saw you. Tell me, what kind of a man in a high position with a good life steals from his own place of employment?

Lance stays silent as he shakes with fear.

computer lance (cont’d)

A greedy man, that’s who. A man who isn’t satisfied with what he’s got. A good job, a good home, a lovely fiancé.

lance

(eyebrows risen)

What’d you say?

computer lance

Well now, it appears I have struck a nerve. Your fiancé, Chelsea.

lance

Leave her out of this, dammit!

computer lance

I didn’t bring her into this. You did.

Lance punches Computer Lance in the face, but his fist phases through his head like nothing. Lance is taken aback by Computer Lance’s transparent form.

computer lance (cont’d)

Because of your thievery, not only do you two not get to marry, but she goes down with you. Your sins affect her. Your burdens lay on her as they do on you. Your troubles are her troubles too.

lance

NO!!!

Lance runs through Computer Lance and goes to the elevator. He presses the button, and the elevator opens. He sees that there is no elevator, and he looks down and sees a long drop.

computer lance

Like I said, nowhere to go but down.

The doors on the side of the elevator move, which causes Lance to lose both grips on the sides. Lance falls down the elevator shaft—slow at first, but he falls faster and faster.

As he continues to fall, Lance sees a glowing light. The light gets brighter and brighter to the point of blinding Lance.

cut to:

int. – lance’s office

We see Lance suddenly lift his head up from off his desk. As it turns out, Lance has been asleep and was having a nightmare. He looks at his computer and sees that the files have not been transferred yet.

His phone goes off. Lance picks it up and sees Cliff is calling. He answers it.

cliff

Well, is it ready?

lance

No. No it is not.

cliff

Well, hurry up then.

lance

No. I’ve changed my mind. I’m happy with what I’ve got. I don’t need you or your money. The deal is off.

cliff

(angry)

You son of a—

Lance hangs up. His phone goes off again. He sees Chelsea is calling.

lance

Hey, babe.

chelsea

Lance, where are you? I’m at the venue. Are you okay?

lance

(reassured)

Yeah, I am. I’ll be down there in 15 minutes.

chelsea

Okay, then. I love you.

lance

I love you too.

Lance hangs up. He uses his mouse button to cancel the download options. Lance smiles after canceling everything. He grabs his hat, suitcase, and jacket and walks out of the office,

We look back at his computer and see something unexpected. There is a window on his computer that says one file has been downloaded. We then hear the sounds of Computer Lance’s evil laughter in the background.

the end