III

G— gloved his left hand and pressed the elevator’s penthouse button. He removed his glove and paired it in his jacket pocket. He had taken a very deep breath on entering. At all costs he avoided the stale air of elevators, and he held the lobby’s air in his belly.

The elevator climbed smoothly, and he could feel his heart beating. Awareness of pulse was the medical term, a given when holding one’s breath. He felt his heart rate accelerate as the lights rose on the panel. His pulse travelled to his temples and his lungs began to murmur and burn. He felt a tightening in the cords of his neck, also typical.

There were still ten floors to go. Floors 27 through 30 held a massive atrium and so they were at least twice as long. The lights began to blur and halo in his vision.

This was his first invitation to the yearly gathering at Arthur’s floor, held between Christmas and New Years. He nearly declined when he saw the height of the building, but he would have to face the elevator eventually. If not this year, then when?