The Sherlock and Watson Association

Chapter 4

I looked down at my phone. 4:30 it blinked back at me. I sighed quietly as I closed the webpage browser and started putting on some pants. The corner store will close soon, I thought as I pulled on the jeans I wore yesterday while trying to make my hair not look so much like Cousin It from the Adams family.

“Better hurry,” I mumbled.

 I was still jamming my shoe on my foot as I bounced out the door of out apartment into the hallway. I did a strange hop-skip down the red carpet, making my way to the elevator as I tried to tie my shoe on. Mrs. Edmark suddenly came out of her apartment as I was turning in a circle. I was supposed to learn how to tie my shoes in kindergarten or so, but I never really learned and it took my forever.

“Hello, Mrs. Cathy,” she said, smiling as I continued my hop dance, finally tying the bow off

“Oh, hello Mrs. Edmark,” I said, startled by her sudden appearance.

“Going on an adventure?” she asked, as we strolled into the elevator. Mrs. Edmark was a funny old lady. She was wearing a floral dress, complete with matching hat, and carried a little handbag that matched the whole outfit. She always wore a floral dress and a funny hat, that was one thing I loved about her, and have always remembered about her. She used to babysit me when I was seven, and for as long as I can remember always lived in the apartment beside ours. Mom said she had always been there, 

“I guess,” I replied, punching the lobby button as the doors closed.

“You’d be surprised what adventures you can find right here in the city,” she said, smiling. She was a strange woman, who took long trips, only to return as though nothing happened.

“Yep, so many adventures,” I said watching the floors countdown 31, 30, 29.

“Why don’t we take one now?” she asked

“Sure,” I chuckled. Mom wasn’t going to be home until late, and it’s not like I was really doing anything with my life at the moment. Maybe we would take a stroll in Central Park or something like that, I thought.

“Alright,” she said smiling, grabbing something out of her purse, it was a rope.

“What do you need that for?” I asked, as she began tying herself onto the bars around the edge of the mirrored elevator,

“Seatbelts are important, Honey,” she said, still smiling.

“Alright,” I chuckled. Maybe she wanted to play pretend. I haven’t done that in ages. She always tells me my imagination is the best toy. When she used to babysit me, we would play one of our silly old games like Bus Trip or African Safari. No other babysitter did that. I need a bit of nostalgia, I thought, a blast from the past. I began tying myself to the elevator. I chuckled; we look ridiculous, I thought.

“Don’t forget the key,” She said, as she pulled an old key out of her purse and inserted it into the keyholes by the buttons.

It fit.

The key was not supposed to fit, I thought, this was supposed to be a game, re-living the seven year old me,

“What are you doing?” I cried as I tried to untie myself,

The elevator suddenly stopped

“What the hell is going on here?” I cried. I don’t normally swear, but this seemed like a pretty reasonable situation.

“Oh honey, no need to swear,” she said. “And you may want to tie back up, it’s going to be a wild ride!”

“Get me out of he-“ I cried, but the elevator plunged into complete darkness, I waved my hand in front of my face, frantically trying to see it. Suddenly we began to plunge. I couldn’t scream, my mouth opened, but no sound came out,

“Oh dear,” said Mrs. Edmark, “The first time is always the hardest.”

I don’t remember much after that.