If you were going to be stuck in an elevator, which fictional characters would you most like to be stuck with? Who are your elevator characters?

You stand at the elevator – it’s one of those rickety old ones from a long past industrial era. You pull open the metal gates as the elevator doors cascade open. The elevator is quite full already, but you are determined to squeeze in nonetheless. Elevators are such close, intimate and awkward spaces, you try not to make eye contact with anyone. Wordlessly, a space is made for you. Someone near the bottons asks, “Which floor?”

“Top, thanks,” you smile, then quickly avert your eyes. You think all these people look familiar, and try to place where you know them from.

The clunky old lift jolts into action and you all take a half step to your right. The gears, out of sight, groan and the whole elevator shudders as though struggling to fulfil its purpose.

It’s too hot and too crowded. The person to your right, fans themselves with a piece of paper. Above you, there is an almighty crunching sound and the lift stops so suddenly that the person behind you staggers forward, pushing you against the doors. The lift takes an unexpected dip that leaves you all breathless, then comes to a shaky stop.

Everyone holds their breath…

Writing activity:

Select your own elevator characters. Take a number of fictional characters from books you have read and insert them into the elevator with you. Who are these characters and why have you picked them? What happens next?

My list of characters:

• Caroline Hepworth from Michael Pryor’s The Laws of Magic series – she is so practical, capable, handy, independent and entertaining.
• Myrddin from Philip Reeve’s Here Lies Arthur – what fabulous stories he would tell to pass the time.
• Jordan from Jeanette Winterson’s Sexing the Cherry – an intriguing, romantic character.
• Celia and Marco from Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus – who doesn’t want a little magic?

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