THE STUCK ELEVATOR

 THE STUCK ELEVATOR

 

Right in the heart of the bustling city of New Delhi, the elevator of a high-rise old building came to a sudden grinding halt, trapping its twelve occupants in a choking hold. Among them were five family members: a small young family of three, an elderly couple and two young ladies, each with their share of stories and secrets.

 

As time slowly trickled on, tensions rose as the temperature soared in the scorching summer month of May. Emboldened by fear and frustration, the family of five began to take out their anger on others. They turned their ire towards the head of the young family, a decent young man, singling him out for their collective animosity and hatred.

 

It started with sly mocks and jabs and pointed remarks. It soon descended into insults, threats and physical violence, all under the guise of frustration. As the clock slowly ticked away, the torment intensified, encouraged by the anonymity of their shared confinement.

 

The gang of five mocked the young man’s appearance, ridiculed his ideas, spat at him, and belittled his achievements, finding solace in their shared contempt, hate and envy. The victim, the decent young man, was hopelessly outnumbered and overwhelmed, and he quietly retreated into a shell.  Outwardly, he was relaxed and calm and managed to maintain a dignified silence regarding the atrocious behaviour. Though his spirit was bruised, he was unbroken by their criminally insane behaviour.

 

But, amidst the chaos and injustice, a speck of humanity remained. The elderly couple and the young ladies in the group, seeing the injustice unfolding before their eyes, found their voices and spoke out firmly against the cruelty. Their voices were filled with compassion and kindness in stark contrast to the gruesome hostility and hate of the criminally insane five.

 

Slowly, their sane words began to dent the hostility of the raging five. The tormentors, confronted by the reality of their actions, recoiled in shame and momentarily withdrew.

 

In the silence that followed the aftermath of the gruesome incident, there was a sigh of relief from the other passengers, who were humbled by the ordeal they had witnessed. They sought solace in solidarity and marvelled at the decent young man’s restraint, patience and dignity. His young family gathered around him, relief starkly visible in their features. As the doors finally slid open, releasing them back into the world, they understood and recognised the power of compassion, restraint and kindness in the face of adversity.

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