The shoebox I’d placed Mr Meow in sat atop my fold out table. As I lit my morning cigarette and sipped a cup of tea I wondered if it was disrespectful to smoke next to a body.
I decided that disrespect was in the eye of the beholder.
I’d often thought of Essie as I smoked. Remembering how we bonded over a few spare cig’s. That hadn’t made me feel disrespectful. I was smoking more than usual with the stress I was under too, I found it was a welcome few minutes break from life.
I’d wanted to sit on my balcony that morning to try and get some light and escape from the claustrophobic feel of the flat. I knew that with my determination to find Derek it might be the last I saw the sun, but the window cleaner was out there, just howling and scratching at the door.
To be honest the flat felt so empty without Jamie, Mr Meow or even the vine, that for a moment I almost considered letting him in.
The longer I lived in the building the less I thought of the window cleaner as a sinister entity, he was more pitiful than anything and let get realistic, I’d grown accustomed to being surrounded by monsters.
Since lockdown he’d stopped bothering with the niceties and chit chat, instead he just whined and scratched like a scared animal. It was Wrinkles and Tetley, rubbing themselves up against my - thankfully covered - legs that stopped me from just giving up and opening the sliding door.
I spent hours in the flat that day dwelling on everything, coming up with wild plans and theories in my mind. I texted Terri and asked her to check on Mr Prentice for me, she asked what was going on and I said that I would tell her when I could.
It was weak but she accepted my explanation, or lack of, as always, with no questions asked.
I must’ve paced the length of the flat hundreds of times. None of the ideas that I had to help Derek seemed to develop into anything solid. It was frustrating, like trying to solve an impossible riddle.
I analysed every part of my interaction with Albert, trying to find hidden meanings amongst the words in my head.
I wondered if he could communicate with the creatures, just like Derek had when he struck the deal over the lift. Maybe that’s why he had come to my flat when Jamie finally escaped, it would make sense if they were communicating all along. Maybe he’d been the reason for Jamie’s aggression towards the end.
I knew that I wasn’t going to find Derek without also finding Albert, so I decided that working to find the older of the brothers would be easier.
Translating all my loose threads of thoughts into a plan didn’t come easy. I tried to stop myself multiple times, worrying that I was going down the wrong route, but when it finally hit me, I knew that I had nothing better. Eventually, I settled on my next steps.
I started after I had fed the kittens and washed up the bowls, after they’d fallen asleep on the sofa, after I’d had time to dwell and stress. After it got dark outside and no human residents were left in the dimly lit corridors. I had little faith in my plan and didn’t want to risk anyone getting hurt as a byproduct.
I made my way down the stairs, carrying the shoebox coffin in my arms and a small bag of the dust that Jamie had left behind in my pocket, shovel wedged in the gap between my arm and torso.
“Good evening, Marcus.” I greeted the man on floor five with less enthusiasm than usual. He responded the same way he always did - not at all.
The boy in the mirror blew more raspberries, making moose horn antlers with his hands and giggling. I waved back and tried to understand how Albert could consider every single special resident evil, these beings had become my family over time.
The outside of the building was empty again, a city that usually never slept was taking the nap of a lifetime. I felt peaceful in the garden with the breeze blowing my hair around. The park opposite was eerily mystical under the stars.
It was warmer than it had been a few nights before when I’d first discovered the kittens and the grate. Even though it had only been a short time, that night felt a lifetime away.
I fought the urge to sob as I dug the tiny grave amongst the shrubs I’d found them in, and for the first time since Essie’s death I was successful. My mind was so focused on my goals that I managed to pull myself together and not become a wreck. I wasn’t sure I had any tears left.
I made full speeches instead, first to Mr Meow and then to Jamie, who I sprinkled on top of the buried shoebox, vowing that I would do something good in all this before covering them back up with dirt.
I stood and stared at the patch of soil for a while, at one point I could’ve sworn I caught a glimpse of the metal grate but it was gone in a blink, replaced by flat, grey concrete. Either Albert was teasing me, or I was going completely mad.
I felt my heart start to pound through my chest as I re-entered the building. What I was preparing to do was dangerous, and potentially deadly, but it was better than never knowing if I could’ve done more. I didn’t want to spend a lifetime imagining Derek trapped and alone.
Every time my life is in crisis in this place I seem to find myself outside the lift, and that night was no different. Even if everything in me was telling me to flee up the stairs and drop it, there I was, staring at the huge metal doors.
It had killed friends, taken me to places no one else could see and housed monsters that infected my nightmares.
As my own heart continued to pound I imagined that the lift could be considered the building’s heart, carrying human life to every floor like we were the blood of the tower.
My eyes flitted from the intimidating metal doors to the display on my phone. I was a few minutes early and those few minutes felt like a thousand years. I edged as close as I could to the button to call the lift and as soon the numbers changed I knew it was time to start.
1.11am
I jabbed the button violently, took a deep breath and reached into my pocket. It was hard to fight back the bile as I pulled out Mr Meow’s severed foot that I had carefully plucked from the shoebox earlier, but I managed and I threw it. It landed about three metres or so from the lift’s entrance.
I retreated and stood to the edge of the stairs, just out of sight, my entire body shaking as I waited for the rattling noise of the opening doors. The first part of my plan worked as well as I could’ve hoped and soon, for the first time, I was faced with my boyfriend’s killers.
I had only seen Jamie and Prudence’s granddaughter Lyla’s iterations of the monsters in person. The creatures that they were spawned from had remained largely a mystery to me and I had never considered they could be different from what I’d already experienced.
They were larger, much larger, than Jamie or Lyla had been. I remembered what Derek had said about the survivors strengthening with each one that dies. They were probably the same height as a fully grown adult male with fur covered, defined muscular limbs. They maintained the posture of a rat, and had long, razor sharp teeth protruding from their elongated jaws.
Their eyes were different to Jamie’s too, instead of being a beady black they had a bright, daffodil yellow sheen. I thought what was living in my wardrobe had been frightening, but he was nothing compared to them.
The two huge, rodent - humanoid creatures skulked out of the lift. They were on their hind legs but their backs were hunched over in a way that would’ve allowed them to break into a four legged sprint at any moment. They started to edge towards the kitten foot, sniffing at it intensely.
Knowing I had moments before they smelled me too, I left my corner by the stairs and started sprinting towards the open metal doors. I hoped that releasing the creatures during their frenzy would be enough to summon Albert, he didn’t seem to appreciate a scene. If I could just hide in that awful metal box for long enough he would have to come and if they weren’t in there with me then I would be safe.
My stress and sleep deprivation had got to me. I knew my plan was severely flawed and I hadn’t properly considered the risks. When I finally made it inside the doors I was confronted with worse consequences than I could’ve imagined.
Unsurprisingly, they spotted me. As I hammered on the button that should close the doors and lock me in I could see them snarling, long strings of saliva stretching from their mouths to splatter on the floor as they prepared to run towards me.
I was ready to die. I was almost certain that it was going to happen in that moment.
That was until I spotted the tiny figure weaving through the creatures legs. It was fast, and I could barely make it out, it was growling and making noises that seemed to genuinely frighten them.
Long claws slashed at the rat creature closer to reaching me and it yowled in pain as it fell to the floor. Horns first, the figure managed to enter the lift just before the doors began to seal themselves. It hissed at the uninjured creature, keeping him backed away just enough for us to hear the thud of the metal doors closing.
Most would be terrified of anything that could frighten off their worst nightmares in an instant, let alone being locked in a 4” by 4” space with them, but not me. As the figure became clear, I was both proud and devastated.
“Ellie! What are you doing here, your mum’s going to kill us both!”
Terri’s young daughter sat herself down cross legged in the corner of the tiny room as I slid down one of the walls to the floor myself, hugging my knees. I broke into hysterical tears, I couldn’t believe I’d put Ellie at risk. I knew about the twin’s late night escapes. She shuffled over next to me, her horns pinched a little as she nuzzled my shoulder but I didn’t care.
“Don’t cry Kat. Did you see how scared of me those things were!”
She was delighted, her smile lit up and if you could’ve seen anything in the deep black voids that replaced her eyes you’d have seen childlike excitement.
The creature outside scraped and hammered at the door and I could still hear the pained screams of the one she’d impaled. For a small child, she had no idea of the impact she’d just made. It was hard to comprehend how a little girl could cause so much damage.
“You shouldn’t be out! Why aren’t you at home? Is Eddie out too? Your mum will go looking, what if they get her?!” I started ranting. Ellie’s face dropped immediately, I usually would have felt awful but I couldn’t shake the thought of her whole family being killed because of me. Of the other people that might be in mortal danger.
How could I be so fucking stupid.
“Eddie’s at home playing with his truck and mum fell asleep. I just wanted to come and explore and I was playing on the stairs when I saw you. I’ve missed you Kat… are they going to eat mum?” Her little voice cracked and she started to sob. I wanted to be reassuring and tell her that they wouldn’t but I didn’t want to lie. I started to understand the gravity of what I’d released.
I was still confident that my original plan would bring Albert out of the basement. However, I wasn’t so confident that Albert would just let Ellie go, he might see her as evil, like he saw everything else here. I had to do everything I could to protect her.
Esther Beckman’s ridiculous prophecy played in my mind once again and I silently cursed her.
How many more friends are going to be in danger, Esther? Why would you be so fucking vague.
I tried to calculate a comforting yet honest response for Ellie but I failed. Before I had a chance to speak the metal prison we were trapped in started to whirr and crunch, shaking and making awful mechanical noises.
I tried desperately to press the button for Terri’s floor, in hope that I could drop Ellie off unharmed, but it didn’t work, instead the box started to fall and the lift travelled downwards.
It wasn’t high tech enough for a digital display, instead the buttons light up as you reach each floor. Not a single button lit as we fell much faster than any lift should, for what must have been at least 5 minutes.
Ellie was screaming. I couldn’t do much but to hold her hand, being careful to interlock my fingers in a way that wouldn’t result in a claw through my own.
I watched the button panel the entire time, occasionally trying to press on any number I could. Every attempt was futile. The lift ground to a halt and we were thrown into the air as it stopped with a huge clap.
Just underneath the numbered buttons had appeared a shrewdly drawn -1 scratched into the metal. I knew it hadn’t been there before and could only signify one thing.
I’d done it. I’d made it to the basement.
As I looked at Ellie I couldn’t help but wonder, at what cost? Was any of this worth the danger I’d accidentally put her in? I hadn’t accounted for the extra person, or the lift falling.
My plan ended when I threw the foot and ran. In my optimistic mind Albert would’ve killed the creatures outside to avoid a scene and have to talk to me again, without being able to kill me like Essie. I knew, squeezing Ellie’s hand, that I had misjudged the situation entirely.
“Where are we?” She asked, nervously.
“I don’t know for sure. I think this is the basement.” I replied.
“But the block doesn’t have a basement.”
“I know.”
The doors slowly opened to reveal a huge darkened flat. It was luxury, like an underground penthouse, but without a single window in sight and it was largely empty. Not a soul inside.
I stood up from the floor of the lift, Ellie’s hand still firmly gripped in mine, and tried to take in the surroundings. The lift had stopped directly in what seemed to be a living room, there was no hallway or corridor leading to a set of flats like when the lift usually stopped.
In the room was a black velvet sofa, a few side tables and an almost useless lamp, providing a dim glow in the corner. It lit up a few twinkling cobwebs and made it just about possible to see a huge, trailing pot plant sat on a table that matched perfectly with the vine that had wrapped itself around my foot and then my home. The lack of a nearby grate didn’t bode well.
Ellie started to cry. I couldn’t see actual tears with the voids for eyes but I could hear her soft whimpers. I searched my mind again for some comforting thoughts but I couldn’t find a single one. If I was right, and Derek was trapped here, we were fucked.
Attempts to jab the buttons were pointless, it was as if the lift had run out of battery, we couldn’t even close the doors. I took a step into the room and Ellie followed. Before I could say a word we heard the metal doors clap together and by the time we turned around the lift had been replaced by a blank wall.
“WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?!” I screamed, desperately hoping that Albert’s smug face would just appear from the shadows.
It didn’t.
All my plea did was terrify Ellie, who continued to grip my hand. It’s awful to say, but I was partly grateful that she was there, if only so that I didn’t have to be alone.
“Who are you looking for?” She questioned.
“Someone that can help us get home… I need to to stay close to me all the time, can you do that for me please?” I hoped with my whole being that I could keep her safe, Ellie simply nodded in response, her horns bobbing in the dim glow.
I took a few steps in the direction of the plant, reaching out to touch it and see if it was limp or alive, like the version in my flat had been. I was disappointed that it was the former. As I ventured further into the room I noticed that the opposite wall wasn’t nearly as blank as the one that had replaced the lift.
Instead, indented in the wall were another set of metal doors, identical to the ones that had closed and vanished behind us. Next to the left side of the doors was a button with the words “call lift” carved into the metal above it. It gave me a great feeling of unease.
Despite my unease I saw no other exit to the room and before I could even consider options my tiny companion had pressed the button. Even demon kids love buttons.
As the doors opened, relief washed over me to see that it was empty and not full of even more creatures. We took a step inside and I found myself once again staring at the button panel. This time, I wasn’t searching for floor 9. In fact, I yearned for the days when that was my biggest problem.
The panel was much like the one in the lift we’d got here in, except alarmingly, every number came with a minus symbol before it… and there was no sign of a G for the ground floor.