.m. Her heels reverberated on the marble floor as she neared the elevator, her body aching with exhaustion. The job had closed hours

he silence. As the doors began to close, a booted foot slid bet

cket, and carried a mop in one hand. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and surprisingly clean-shaven

pressing the button

ked into the furthest corner. Th

did not su

e lights flickered and came to a

d the side railin

aid, pressing the emergency

ed, caressing her forehead.

at her. "

ntern supervisor hates me, my feet ache, and I have to walk fou

"I have end

glance. "You do not l

oes not have an

e floor, and extended her legs.

sting on his knees. His features popped out more in the fluorescent half-lig

rlotte,"

then nodded

re you new here?" "I ha

ecently. Ni

tors had access to the building's

popular belief, I am

situation was terrible, it felt incr

nal moan of the elevator cables. Charlotte looked dow

wful," Barron began, his tone

enough to answer. Perhaps he wasn't trying to f

aising a kid alone, working, interning here, and looking for a

d. "How old

a "She is

pride. Hope, too, althou

informed him. I moved in with my mother for a while, but sh

ce had only cracked once,

id. "That is a l

ile. "Yes, well. I am used to

a moment. Then he leaned back a

have lost

ed up in

obile accident happened two

ght. "I genuin

, and full of vitality. We were shopping for wedding ve

her lips. "I can not imagin

hs. I did not eat. Just existed. Then I became involved in my compa

not this strange?" How can individuals endure these hid

l bleeding

ound together by a sorrow neith

ted. "My brain." When I'm alone, this is w

mmunicate with my mother while I am cooking. She taught me how to make eve

y. "She sounded

as the

the lights flashed agai

d. "Oh. "I suppo

o the lobby

y, neith

replied softly, r

, too. "

ng as if I we

"You are not. "You are just..

d. "Will I s

building only has so many elevato

t outside, and walk

tirred-something he thought had died with Flair. Perhaps p

stranger help