Elevator To The Future

• Alyssa Benter, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2008

Elevator To The Future

“I walked down the busy main street of Edenhope in 1998, I wondered to myself what it would be like to go forward in time. “Whoops” “Oh sorry little girl …do I know you?” “Patricia Grace Wellington.” “Oh, that’s right, you’re the butcher’s daughter! Am I right?” “Most certainly not! Why the butcher is a cruel old man, how could you ever think that someone as kind and generous as myself could be related to him?” “Oh, sorry. Have a nice day then.”

I stared at the four storey building in which I lived. I dragged myself through the doors out of the pouring rain. I considered going up the stairs but then I felt that that would just be silly.

I pressed the 4 on the elevator and my hand then slipped to the 1 instead of pressing the “GO” button. But the strange thing was that I didn’t have to press “GO”, it just kind of started to operate.

The doors to the lift opened slowly and unsteadily as if they almost weren’t going to open at all. I staggered out of the lift but not into a place I was familiar with.

I studied my surroundings and wrote down a few notes about this mysterious land:
*No trees
*No people that I can see
*Buildings EVERYWHERE
*No animals
I studied the landscape some more and jotted down one last note that was extremely different from the town I knew:
*THE SKY IS GREY! Absolutely no blue anywhere to be seen!

I walked about 200 metres and spotted one lone person walking down the depressing street. “Excuse me sir.” “Yes little girl?” The man looked unhappy and unsatisfied. “Where am I?” “Why you are in Edenhope!” “But that can’t be right because I live in Edenhope and this is most definitely not the Edenhope I know.” “Oh?” The man looked confused. “ May I ask what year this is?” Patricia waited in anticipation for an answer. “Why it’s 2041 of course!” “ Oh well I am from Edenhope but in 1998” “Ok, you might want to see a doctor. I am so sorry I would love to stay and talk but I have a meeting with the other Prime Ministers of the world.” And with that the man was gone.

I walked slowly back to the elevator and stepped inside. I wondered if because I pressed the 1 after the 4 I was in the year of 2041. I tested this myth by slowly pushing the number 8 in the lift.
Up I went and stepped out into a busy street like you see on the television.

As I stepped out there was a sign that said “We hope you enjoy 2008”.I was excited at the thought of a time machine in my own building!

I have kept it a secret all these years, you are the only person I have told.” “I doubt that that would of happened” “Oh it did my child”.