Setting: In an office building, people are busy with their morning schedule and franticly

running everyone. The building holds appointments as well as jobs. Four people

pile into and elevator, all going places. On the tenth floor the abruptly stops.


Tom:
(angrily) Oh great! Now what is this?


Grace:
(looking around frantically) It-it seems the el-elevator has s-stopped.


Laura:

(calmly) It will probably be going in no time, calm down. In the meantime, why

don’t we share out names and where we were going? I’ll start, my name is Laura and

I was going to my normal job as a lawyer.


Tom:

My name is Tom and I was going to see my wife, while she was at work. Now she’s

probably in a panic while we’re stuck in this dang thing.


Grace:
(panicking) W-We need to get out of here n-now!


Laura:
(putting her hand on Grace’s shoulder) It’s ok, the elevator will start in no time.

What’s your name?


Grace:
G-grace and I was going to an a-appointment for my house. P-please leave me

a-alone.


Tom:

(looking strangely at John) Who are you, big guy? Where would you ever be


going?


John:

(punching his hand and saying annoyingly) John, John is the name and I was goin‘

to an appointment. Just got out of jail and need a lawyer.


Laura:

(eyes widened) Why don’t we all stay away from John, just a few feet. I’ll will be

good for all of us.




Suddenly the lights shut off in the elevator and it’s completely dark.


Tom:

What now? Next thing you know, we are going to be falling ten floors, ten floors to

death.


Grace:
(cries) Help m-me! I-It’s dark, this i-is such a nightmare. We-e have to get o-out.


Laura:
God, everyone its just a little malfunction. We don’t need to freak out. This



probably has happened multiple times before and has been fixed 99% of the time.


John:

(saying deeply) I hate the dark, I get angry when it’s dark. This needs to start


working again.


Grace:
Help! Help! I-its so dark. What a-about that other one p-percent. W-we are that o-

one percent. We’re g-gonna die.


John:

(punching Grace) Lady, shut up. We don’t need to scream, we are all here. You

don’t need help so be quiet. You’re like my mother in the mornings, when she

doesn’t get her coffee. It’s a complete nightmare.


Tom:

(stepping in between John and Grace as she is on the ground) Stop! What are you

doing? That was out of hand, you gotta calm down. Do you want to go back to jail?

Laura, see if she is ok.




Laura:
(rushing over to Grace and checking if she is ok) She has a bruise on her cheek and

I think she is unconscious. What were you thinking, John? You don’t just punch and

older women like that. (gets up and starts walking toward John defensively of Grace)

Your a maniac and you deserve to go back to jail.




The elevator jerks upward and starts making its way up to the floors.


Tom:

(bending down to pick up Grace) Look at that perfect timing, can’t wait to get out of

the jail cell. I’ll help you, Laura, get Grace out of here.


Laura:
(bending down the other side of Grace and pulls her up) Take her arms and we can

drag here out, she’s pretty heavy to carry. John, are you gonna help the lady you

punched?


John:

I’m not helping carry that piece of junk. I have places to go, people to see, things to

get done. My lawyer is waiting and I’m trying not to go back to jail. Nice meeting

all of you.




Elevator stops and the doors slide open. John leaves toward a different direction and


Laura and Tom drag Grace in an opposite direction.