(fade up on scene already in motion)
The old rickety elevator, which should have been taken out of service a decade ago ago, shimmies up to the 38th floor as it has for years. But, unbeknownst to the lone passenger, this trip will be different...
(cue A MENACING GROAN FROM ABOVE as the cable strains against an unknown force, and suddenly...)
CRACK!!! The cast iron pulley breaks free from the ceiling 30 floors up, causing the METAL FLYWHEEL to spin violently out of control and the FRAYED CABLES to flail about wildly, razor-sharp tentacles smacking against the sheet metal walls of the shaft. Debris rains downs round us as...
The elevator car lurches and drops into a FREE FALL, gravity pulling us down as the AIR PRESSURE increases and starts its ascending wail, now building into a howling shriek...only moments remain before we disintegrate with crushing force into the concrete foundation below when suddenly...
The GRIND of wood against metal, the CRUNCHING and SPLINTERING of thick redwood timbers against the cast iron supports of the shaft, the SHUDDERING car seems it might explode ---
A gut-wrenching JOLT and a deep GROAN brings the entire event comes to an abrupt standstill only seconds from when it had begun...and mere inches from the bottom of the shaft.
(END)