The Elevator Dreams Read online

ator Dreams

  Journey in Vanishing Worlds

  Copyright2013 Vishnuvarthanan Moorthy

  The Renault Fluence car was slowly moving between the narrow streets of Paris. How much more time you shall take to reach the Hubert house? Franco was curious to know from the driver. You shall be there in another 5 minutes, the driver replied. Are you fine Ishita? Do you need anything? Franco checked with Ishita the 10 year old child of Sonia. She is fine and excited to go there, Sonia the mother of Ishita replied. Before we enter there, would like to have good French coffee with milk, Juvian the friend of Franco, is claiming his presence with that talk. It’s an old apartment and we have some work to do, if we finish quickly, will go back to our hotel in the evening to take some rest, and to spend 3 days in Paris leisurely, Franco is explaining the plan. Does the French public talk English? Ishita asked. Franco replied “Yes somebody does, only as last resort”. The car was slowing down, in front of a 9 floor building and it’s seems to be more than 100 years old. Please take all your belongings and get ready for the excitement, Franco was encouraging everyone. Enough Franco, Ishita will not really get excited by these talks; she knows that you are here to check your uncles’ old building and planning to renovate it, Sonia calmed down Franco. It is fine guys, you know it, but still it is heritage property and we can’t see something as this in our place, Franco was consoling himself.

  Do you have the keys for building or someone is staying inside? Juvian asked Franco. I believe someone should be here, because I got the letter and keys of this building 25 days back in FedEx, and was sent by Patrick, he was close associate of my uncle. He had maintained this building for last 3 months, after my uncle passed away, in fact I wrote to Patrick, that we are coming but no reply from him, Franco is telling others. Franco opened the cover and took the key which seems to be fitting the old wooden door. The building Hubert house is tall with 9 floors and comparatively narrow for its height, however it is not unusual to see tall and narrow building in the congested streets of Paris. They opened the door and it is clean, however there are broken windows and wall patches. Are you fine Ishita? Franco checked with Ishita. I am excellent Franco, thanks for asking, Ishita is diplomatic. The building has lesser lighting and they need to be careful in their steps. Juvian told everyone, whoever need torch can take it from me and I can use my cigar lighter. Enough Juvian, it’s not that bad, just it’s cloudy outside, otherwise I would assume there will be enough light, Franco told Juvian. They entered in to each room and had a look, and there are lot of old furniture’s and paintings. Ishita, you are with me, don’t move around, Sonia is ensuring Ishita’s safety in new place. Juvian asks Franco, these paintings don’t seem to be of any recent kings or of people; they are of very different generation altogether, why it’s so?

  My uncle was collecting lot of old items and it was his passion to collect valuable items from different generations, that’s what I heard about him from my mother. They had almost completed their visit in the ground floor. There is one small room, which is locked outside and looks very dirty also, may be it wasn’t opened in last few years or so. Ishita was asking Franco, why this door is so unclean and what’s there inside? Franco noticed that, maybe we can have a closer look at it and clean it up. Franco removed the broken furniture kept in front of the door and started cleaning the door with a cloth, it’s an elevator. Ishita was shouting with lot of enthusiasm, that it’s an elevator! Franco told Sonia, I am not aware that there is an elevator in this building; it’s a surprise for me, thanks to Ishita. Franco told everyone that we are going to use this elevator and go to the top floor and will have a look at the Eiffel tower from here. Sonia told, it is not required, as we don’t know whether it’s in working condition, why to unnecessarily waste time here. Franco decided to impress Ishita so he told, Ishita can’t climb 9 floors to see the Eiffel tower, in fact it’s wonderful view to see from here, I assume. Somehow, he convinced others to use the elevator. They opened the elevator and there is space for four people, hence they all got in there. It’s a closed elevator and inside is made of heavy steel. The buttons in the elevator seems to be on/off switch type. Franco switched on floor one button and no movement in the elevator. I think the electric power to the elevator is cut off, give me a minute I will correct it, Franco told and left. Everyone came out of the elevator and sat down in nearby furniture.

  Franco did locate the problem in the electric circuit; in fact the wires were disconnected and bundled. He did his level best to quickly correct them and connect them, so that Ishita’s interest level doesn’t go down. Now, he connected the electric cable and switched on the main power supply to the elevator. Come on everyone get in to the elevator, Franco was pushing everyone with joy. They entered inside and pressed the first floor switch and again no movement in the elevator. Let me try out the second floor, Franco was talking and switching on the number two, but no movement. Look there is a key hole in the elevator, why it’s there? Ishita asked Franco. Hmm this could be it, do you have any other key with you? Sonia asked Franco. Franco checked the parcel and there is one more stuck in the cover. I never noticed this key, sorry guys it’s my mistake, Franco apologized and took that long and thin key (4” inches) and inserted in the key hole and tries to turn right and then left, nothing works. Juvian told I think you have to push the key little more inside till the ring mark in the key. Franco did push the key little more, the key went inside. The key started revolving and the lonely light in the lift started flickering. The buttons all of them went in to off mode. All of them are not able to understand what’s happening, the elevator moves up in high speed and suddenly drops down and everyone fell inside the elevator. The elevator keeps falling down at high speed. I am holding Ishita, don’t worry, Franco shouts. Keep your body very close to the wall; don’t move around, Juvian says others. The elevator is dropping at enormous speed and suddenly it moves up again. Breathing is very difficult inside the elevator and nearly they are into unconsciousness. The elevator stopped now and it is completely dark inside, the elevator instruction board is glowing. The board displays the letters “Find the Saddened one and help, to get the Keys before the world vanishes in an hour, to continue your travel. Else stay here for life”. Everyone was reading this, by that time the door of the elevator does open.

  It’s a land with greenish farm on either side and there is a narrow road which seems to be connecting to a huge door. Franco speaks; I think we are in what is called an elevator dream, so just stay calm, we will be back to our sleep. Hey Franco, it’s not a dream, see I got bruises in my hand, Sonia makes him realize. The land is lovely; I want to go there, Ishita shouts and jumped in to that land. They all decided to go ahead in the lonely road which is available to them. How will we find the saddened one in this place? Sonia is checking with Franco. It’s very simple; search for the face which carries sadness, Juvian is adding his great tip. They walked few more steps ahead and they saw the jumping egg plants. There are many egg plants and they are huge in size and tall like human and they keep on jumping. They are shouting, singing and rolling on either side of the road. Ishita speaks, look at those jumping egg plants, we may ask them, who is the saddened one here... Franco says, I don’t think they can talk, even if they talk, they may not know English… Juvian interfered, may be then French. By this time, Ishita goes and speaks to an egg plant and asked its name. I am “Clisha”, and this is my brother “Shavian”, we are here for the market day, the egg plant replied. Ishita asked, do any of you are sad, and need our help?

  We are the happiest family and we are here to enjoy the market and do purchase for the week, you may go the market and see, if anyone needs your help, Clisha speaks to Ishita. How do we go to the market? Franco asked. Join with us, we are going there,
the door of the market will open in any minute, Clisha told. They all moved along with the jumping egg plants group and the big wooden door opened, and they all entered inside. It’s a big market place with plenty of shops and live shows are going on.

  There are kick boxing shows of red chili and green chili, there are rope walking by bean and so on. The shops are selling multi nutrition soil, protein mix, nitrogen mix, and natural health supplements. Moving further, they see sliced radish performing belly dance. Juvian asked the radish, hey lady are you sad to do this? You need my help? The radish replied, do you want to dance with me, if so, I will be sad for doing that, get away from here… They go ahead and they see a Beauty parlor and they believe there may be someone who can help them. They entered inside, and everyone started shouting. Oh no! Who are you guys! How can you enter inside, when ladies are doing facial, the owner is shouting loudly. Oh we are sorry! We are not aware that ladies are here, Sonia apologized. The bitter guard, which is having facial