Visiting the newest mall in the area was a dream come true. On her twenty-fifth birthday, Tanika dressed in a blue ball gown, a red purse and red heels alongside her best friend, Flora who was dressed in a baggy jean, white top and a unisex sneakers.
The two friends made a beeline for the cinema right after getting into the mall. Just like the moment every Lagos girl waits for, their cameras were all set to take pictures in the elevator’s mirror.
“Dear all, there shouldn’t be more than four persons in this elevator. Choose your partners for the next batch of people to enter the elevator,” the dark-skinned security man yells at the top of his voice.
On picking two other partners, a hulking lady appears at their front. It eased the stress of the ladies and they were left to look for one more partner.
“Babes, let me join you people oh. Let’s just look for one more person and we’re good to go,” she said looking so happy and was ready to take the mirror selfie in the elevator.
The last person came so easy and after some set of people alighted from the elevator, Tanika, Flora, the hulking lady and a gentleman stepped into the elevator.
“Since you people are going to the cinema, click on ‘six’ which will take you to the last floor where the cinema is,” the security man said to them and without hesitation, the fat lady clicked on ‘six’ and the ride begun.
It was just one second after the ride begun when they all opened their cameras to take their best photos of all time.
They all got into the elevator at precisely 3:00 pm. They all had great photo time and mistakenly, Tanika takes a look at the time, it was 3:06 pm already.
“Everybody wait! Check your time. We’re trapped into the elevator,” immediately, the photo time ended unplanned. The four of them started planning a way out.
The fat lady began to scream at the top of her voice to know if anyone will hear her. After her efforts were futile, she started jumping up in the elevator to see if her weight is enough to push down the elevator.
“Madam abeg what are you doing? Don’t you know that this is risky? We’re supposed to try to forcefully open the elevator,” the only guy in their midst said.
Flora with Tanika stood on the right side of the elevator while the fat lady and the young guy stood on the other side of the elevator.
“Now push!!!” The fat lady yells. Whoosh!, the all grumbled but the door refused to open.
The other people waiting outside were getting tired of the delay.
“Oga help us check please. What is going on? Why are these people taking pictures and cruising in the elevator? Do they think we don’t have things to do as well,” from the midst of the crowd, an outspoken lady yells and suddenly, every other person started to grumble. They all wanted to get into the elevator real quick. The struggle into the elevator became real.
“Good evening ladies and gentlemen. We have some hostages among us. If you are waiting for the elevator, kindly make use of the stairs,” a voice announcement came from the security department.
Some people didn’t wait. No one wanted to be a hostage. Immediately hearing the word hostage, they made a break for it. In a few minutes, the mall lost about half of its customers after hearing that there are some hostages within them. No one truly wants to be one.
The huge security team, coming with full force and some tools to forcefully open the elevator heads towards what floor the people were stuck in.
After clinging a magnetic tool at the edge of both doors of the elevator, the chief security officer yells, open!! and with force, they all opened the elevator also with the help of people present in the mall.
By the time the opened the elevator, the chief security officer shouted. He was shocked to see the weight that the elevator was carrying.
“Ahhh!!! When we said four people should be in the elevator, you fat lady should know that you stand for two people alone. The weight was too much and that’s why you all got stuck into the elevator,” then, they all started to laugh including the lady herself.
Tanika, Flora and the two others were tired fighting for their lives and getting out of the elevator. Then, it became their lucky day. To compensate them, the mall footed their movie bill and also provided them with enough popcorn and drinks to munch on till the end of the movie.
Being stuck in the elevator then felt like a blessing in disguise.
