[ WP ] `` The elevator had an extra button , but instead of a number , it was only labeled with a question mark . ''

A sigh escapes through his pursed lips. The building advertises a no-longer-than 45 second call time across their 21 elevators, but Jacob could feel another minute slip by. 6:42 He stares at the lit down arrow and reaches out to press it again, knowing that any effect would be no better than a placebo. His finger comes excruciatingly close to pushing the button but before contact- 
 
 ***DING*** he turns a glance to the open door behind him while his finger hovers in front of the button for another second. Jacob takes that finger through the open door and jabs it into the L button, and leans against the wall. His eyes flutter shut and his day flashes across the backs of his lids. Bland coffee, bland office chatter. Margaret's cats. Endless lines of copy. Elevator buttons. 
 
 *Elevator buttons? * Jacob's eyes snap open. Something was wrong. The door had closed but the car was n't moving down the shaft. The lobby button still glowed, but he presses it again to be sure. Still nothing. He tries a third time and his finger lingers as he looks at the other buttons. *What's that? * There's one he had never noticed before. Tucked in after the lower parking levels, an elegant ``?''. Where the numbers and letters across the other buttons were in varying states of decay, this one looked brand new, like it had just been replaced. He drops his hand down to the question mark and pauses. *What does this do? * His finger lingers again, getting fractionally closer. As if moved by the hand of God, Jacob instead presses the sole red button, begging for Help. 
 
 His eyes close again while he waits to be connected to the building's security team. This time the question mark burns behind his eyes. Another minute drags by. *What the hell is going on? * Jacob's eyes open and he's looking at the panel. *Do n't lose your shit. What can you do? * He scans it and his eyes again rest on the?. *What's the worst that can happen? It's not like I'll open a portal to Hell. * He starts hitting buttons at random, avoiding the burning question, until every other little bump is lit. 
 
 `` What the fuck is going on,'' the words actually escape his lips this time. He starts pacing his way across the box. `` There's nothing else I can do, I need to try it.'' He hunkers down to get a good look at the mark, runs his finger over its curve. *It is n't like the others. * It's embossed, it has texture. He draws in one more breath and jabs his finger right into the mark's dot. Another second ticks by and he braces for the inevitable lurch of the box springing into action. 
 
 And it moves! But its a slow movement, like he can feel the vibration of the motor instead of the movement of the box itself. *Am I going down? * He's suddenly sure that the box is n't going down at all, but up. Jacob has a momentary flash of elevator box exploding from the roof of the building and making its way into space. He can feel his heart pounding. He slams his palm against the Help button and keeps it there. 
 
 `` Is there anyone there!'' he's nearly yelling now. The box is shaking, and his ears are popping. `` Please stop this!'' 
 
 ***DING*** and the doors open to the lobby. Jacob stares through the doors for a fraction of a second before running out. *What the hell was that? * He looks back inside and sees his reflection grinning back at him in the mirrored elevator wall. He shivers and turns towards the underground connection to the metro. A night custodian waves at Jacob as he passes him. 
 
 `` Have a good trip? Jacob's spine chills at the words but he forces a smile `` About as good as any.'' As he disappears down the tunnel the custodian pulls out his walkie and radios in. 
 
 `` Hey Frank, I think you got another one.''
