[ WP ] You wake up on what promises to be an average kind of day only to discover time has completely stopped for everyone and everything except you . Minutes later , your cell phone rings .

I blearily sat down on the computer for a bit of early morning reddit and surfing, a habit that was largely unhealthy but I could n't quite shake. The screen would n't come on. I should never have bought a 50 dollar laptop. I hold the button down to force a restart, and nothing happens. I probably junked it. Goddamn it, did I spill beer on it or something? Shit. 
 
 I try to make a coffee but the gas light does n't come on. We ran out of gas again? I guess I'll shower at the gym, if I have time. Uh, since the computer is n't working I guess I might as well. Oh, I need to wash my shirts. I put a load into the machine, pour in the liquid and then press the button. Nothing. The hell? How is everything out at once? 
 
 I knock on my housemate's door. No response. I knock louder. Weird. Not even a groan. He's never out of bed at this hour, so what the hell? Fuck it, I'm going out. Maybe I can grab a coffee and read a bit, then hit the gym to work out vaguely and then shower. Hell, it'd be cheaper to do that at home, and at least they do n't seem to be doing construction outside at the moment. But I'm not in the mood for a room temperature coffee today. Maybe an iced coffee? I open the fridge. Yeah, of course we have no ice. It's cold though, so the fridge must be working. It's not making any noise, though. 
 
 Whatever. I pack up some books and gym clothes and leave. I end up waiting for about two minutes. In that time, I realize that my phone is frozen. The screen is n't locked, and it displays the time, but it's not changing and I ca n't get a response. I try to restart it, and get nowhere. That's about the time I realize the elevator is n't moving. 
 
 Now, they shut down the elevator for maintenance semi-regularly, but never at this time. And the light is functional, telling me the elevator is on the 4th floor. So what's the deal? I shrug, pissed off but fatalistic, and trudge down the stairs. 
 
 I am largely on pre-caffeination autopilot all the way down. I almost miss it as I pass the 4th floor. I happen to glance at the elevator, and my heart skips a beat. The door is slightly ajar, and inside the elevator, an eye stares at me. I do a comical double-take, but no one is around to appreciate it. The fuck? 
 
 `` Hello? Uh... Wei? Ni hao?'' 
 
 I edge closer towards the eye staring, and can see it's an old lady. She is standing in the elevator, holding a handbag, staring forward, without blinking or moving. 
 
 `` Uh? You shenme shir ma? I mean... you shenme shi ma?'' 
 
 No response. She does n't react. 
 
 Why is it so quiet? 
 
 My phone buzzes in my hand and I almost drop it. Now it fucking works. I've never seen this number before. Why is it so long? I answer it, and then remember my speaker is broken. I scramble to plug in my headphones so I can hear what the person is saying. 
 
 `` Hello, sorry, my...'' 
 
 `` Shut up, I know. You're on the 4th floor?'' 
 
 `` Yes, who is this?'' 
 
 `` Recognize my voice?'' 
 
 I did. Who? It sounded so familiar, but weird. But I've heard it before... on a recording, I think. Wait. 
 
 `` Oh fuck, is this me?'' 
 
 `` Yeah. Well, a version. You need to get out. There are some workman's tools on the 3rd floor, I think you should be able to get the door open. But move quickly. You'll need to take your bike, nothing with an engine will work while I've got the field up. You have to get to Taipei, I can get your from there.'' 
 
 `` Bike to Taipei? That's on the other side of the country!'' 
 
 `` I know, but they should n't be able to get you as long as you keep moving.'' 
 
 `` Who are they?'' 
 
 `` They're almost on the 6th floor. We have no time, move! I can only slow them down. Get the fuck out of there. Oh, and dude?'' 
 
 `` Yeah?'' 
 
 `` If you see anything move, run.''
