Welcome to Envy Park

Stairs are Difficult

"Yeah," I said, and then I wished I didn't. "I...we've been in the elevator together a few times."

"Right sorry. I don't usually talk to neighbors."

"It's okay."

"No, it's not. People probably think I'm rude. Sorry about that."

Seventh floor, still no one else but us.

"Are we the last people to be evacuated?" I wondered.

"You knew this was going to happen right? Everyone else probably left early, made sure they wouldn't be here when the drill started."

"I forgot about it. What's your excuse?"

He shrugged. "Overslept. And it's just a nine-floor walk anyway."

Sixth floor.

We marched down the steps in silence for a bit. At first I was thinking of something to say, and then I was overwhelmed by my legs protesting on me.

Fifth floor.

Oh god, shortness of breath. My right calf threatening to cramp. I paused for a second, and Ethan noticed when he was suddenly half a flight of stairs ahead of me. 

"Are you okay?" he said.

I waved him off. "Fine. Am fine." Not fine enough for complete sentences though.

He ran back up to me and touched my elbow. "Are you sure?"

"I'm fine. Really." And I gathered up some energy to smile and start walking again. 

"Sometimes it can get stuffy in these fire escapes," he was saying, slowing down to match my pace. "Deep breaths."

I couldn't. I was trying, but my lungs were cutting me off halfway through. Good thing my legs kind of went on autopilot and were just marching through the pain. Yeah there was a little pain. 

Fourth floor.

"Do you  need help?" Ethan said suddenly.

"I'm fine," said the girl on the verge of collapsing. "Legs complaining."

"Do you have asthma?"

I shook my head.

"Are you sure?"

I nodded. He was being nice, and I could already hear Roxie's voice in my head yelling at me to be nicer. But I didn't want our first ever encounter to be him carrying my unconscious body out of this building. So I trained my eyes forward and kept walking.

"You don't have to respond, but I'm just going to keep talking," he said, "Because it'll help make the walk seem faster. Or at least it will for me. You can tell me later if this just made it more horrible for you."

I managed a smile. 

"I'm renting," he was saying, "A one-bedroom. It looks great, and the owner hasn't even tried to live there. I almost feel bad about sitting on the couch, everything's so new. But everything in the building's new anyway."

Third floor. A numb feeling started near my knees and moved up my thighs.

Would this never end?

And Ethan hadn't stopped talking.

"...it's really convenient too. I work in Beckett, the consulting firm across the street. First time I've lived so close to where I work, and of course I'm always late now. But it was either this or a cheaper place on the other side of the highway."

Oh no, not the other side of the highway. That was where we had to go if we wanted a wider supermarket selection or better deals on gadgets, but it was also a seedier part of town. Rent was cheaper though. I made sure he saw me smile, that I appreciated this conversation, and it was probably the only thing that was keeping me from just giving up.

I also silently thanked the universe that he had chosen to spend a little more and wound up in my building instead.