LOCATION Port Elisabeth, apartment building elevator
WHEN Early evening
TAGGING @galedavenpcrt
Mason had stood in front of the open refrigerator, staring into the well-lit abyss where leftovers went to die long enough that he no longer noticed the difference between the warm arm of the room and the cool air escaping the appliance. Eventually, he grabbed the trash can and emptied the contents of the fridge — a few boxes of Chinese food and a pizza that had gone stale — and threw them inside before tying off the bag. Grabbing his hat off the counter, he slid it onto his head so it was facing the wrong way before pocketing his keys, swiping the previously abandoned trash bag and heading out.
Dropping the bag of trash down the chute, he might have otherwise noticed the sudden crack of thunder, but the bag bumped and banged against the metal siding of the chute on its way down, creating its own ruckus that the thunder blended into. Had he heard it, he may have waited an hour to head out, avoid the mess of rain that was likely incoming. The elevator made it down a floor before someone else stepped on — he was unfamiliar, not that Mason knew everyone in the building, but he was pretty sure he was familiar with most of their faces, and the other’s wasn’t a face he knew. As the elevator began moving again, Mason was about to ask him if he was new to the building. With a second crack of thunder, however — this one Mason heard loud and clear — the elevator shuttered to a halt, the lights going out. Mason cursed, instinctively, and out loud, in spite of the fact that he was around someone he had never met before. Shoving a thumb, almost aggressively, into the button that was supposed to open the door, he could have cursed a few more times, but instead abandoned the effort and pulled out his phone, turning on the screen to create a dim light in the small and otherwise dark space. “Something tells me this wasn’t in either of our plans when we stepped on this elevator, tonight,” he remarked, taking in a breath, adding, “Welcome to the building, I guess.” It was an assumption, but either way, well… he was here, in the building, so it stood nonetheless.
“It’s much appreciated, Garrett. I’ll definitely owe you one.” Gale spoke into the mobile device he held to his ear, looking up when the elevator doors opened. He had been in the building to take a witness statement of his own. Someone who had been close to Connor Ward and his girlfriend. Nothing much was said that he could use, or that could lead to somewhere that could actually be useful. Regardless, he made his notes, thanked the guy, and left. When Garrett called him that he had managed to grab a hold for something important for him back in Edmonton, he had time to spare to pick up, not in the midst of making notes as he often was, and would gladly let a phone call pass on by for it. “I’ll see your e-mail in the morning okay? Okay, bye.” He ended the call, stepping into the elevator, where he gave the man a nod, and pressing the button that went to the ground floor, despite the button already being lit. Taking a single gaze on his phone, he saw the bars already lowering down to zero, as he had already noticed on his way back up. Which wasn’t a drag, seeing as he had no phone calls to make for the rest of the evening. So as he slid it in his jacket pocket, there was a sudden sound of thunder, followed by the elevator coming to a halt. Oh that was just great. He let out a frustrated sigh while the other male was punching in buttons for the door to open. Yeah tough luck with the power out. Yet Gale was making an attempt to press the button that would refer them to the emergency service, but apparently that one hadn’t been working either. Had this been America, there would have been a law suit as soon as those doors were to open.
“Being stuck in an elevator does not happen to be one of my favourite pas times, so you guessed correctly.” Gale answered with a slight chuckle. Though it was frustrating and this meant it took longer for him to go to his new apartment and try to add the answers he had just been given to the existing evidence and data he already had, he was just trying to stay calm amongst it all. ‘Negative emotions never served anyone’ he heard his mother’s voice in his head, and so he exhaled, burying the anger and frustration inside. “Oh, thanks. It’s an amazing place to be. Very lovely, might grow old here.” He uttered, somewhat sarcastic but all in a fun mood. “You live here then, I take it? Mr?”
