The elevator lurched to a stop with a jerk as the lights flashed on and off for two seconds and then went off completely. A number of things happened simultaneously. I dropped the phone in my hand and heard the sound of cracking glass, my heel broke and as I lost my balance I fell against my co-passenger - and I felt a huge cramp in my right leg. I let out an involuntary scream more out of pain than fear. I tried to keep my leg straight and collapsed to the floor, blinded by excruciating pain. I think I tried to hold on to my co-passenger for support but within seconds I was in a sobbing heap on the floor of the elevator.
We were in complete darkness and the elevator was suspended between two floors, it was lurching occasionally and we could feel the tremors through the floor - but all I could think of in that moment was the blinding pain.
"Are you OK? Is there something I can do?" I heard a concerned voice through the haze of pain.
"My leg ..... cramp .... help ...." I almost sobbed out. I tried to reach the place where the cramp was and let out another shriek as the pain of stretching was unbearable.
"please ... " I was a mess by now.
I felt, rather than saw someone gently take my foot in his hands and take off my heels. I heard a dull thud as they were tossed to a side. His hands moved softly up my denim clad legs as he tried to massage the knotted muscle over my Jeans. I writhed in pain as he tried to unsuccessfully ease my pain over the thick material.
"Would it, ..... could you, .... should I take off my jeans, if you think you could do something... would it help" I whispered hesitantly, my only concern being free of the pain that was driving me crazy by now.
"Don't do that, let's see what we can do here, try and stand up or change position that might help", came his authoritative voice out of the darkness.
I groped around a bit in the darkness and then my hands found his. I tried to stand up but couldn't and collapsed to the ground again.
"I can't", I wept.
"Yes, you can. Try again now'" he held both my hands and as I tried to rise up from the floor, he probably got impatient with my feeble, weakened efforts. He put his hands under my underarms and raised me up almost as though I was a child or a rag-doll.
For the first time, I became aware of his strength, as his muscular body supported me. He helped me to stand against the wall of the elevator and put my hands on the railing. My eyes were slowly getting accustomed to the darkness and I could make out my surroundings. I noticed his gym bag lying in one corner and my phone smashed to pieces. He was a big built man, broad-shouldered, lean, and well-muscled. He was wearing track pants and a simple tee shirt, but still he looked strong. He towered over me and I was once again conscious of my diminutive 5'3" petite frame.
He roughly ordered me to turn the other way and face the elevator wall, just as it gave another shudder. I looked at him questioningly, "the elevator" I mumbled.
"Don't worry, it's only a power outage and this building doesn't have a backup. Once the power is restored, everything will be fine. We are only trapped here for a few more minutes. " He tried to reassure me
"Now let's look at that leg of yours, so just turn around. Trust me, I know what I'm doing", he needn't have said that. Somehow, I already did trust him.
I turned to face the wall, as he knelt down once again, his hands expertly moving over my stiff muscles, trying to get them to relax. I felt the tension drain out of my body as I gave in to his ministrations, I could already feel the knotted muscles relax and the pain subside a bit, when he stopped.
"No, good," he said after a few minutes. "I can't do any more over the thick fabric, can you step out of the jeans for a few minutes, like you suggested?" he asked me
"Look I wouldn't ask if there was any other way, you can get dressed when the power is restored, and I promise not to look." He sounded almost apologetic, "Not that I can see much" I heard him whisper under his breath.
But he needn't have asked. I trusted him completely by now, and as I was unzipping my Jeans I heard him let out a slow gasp. I pushed my skin-tight Jeans down my hips but then I couldn't bend more.
"I can't bend, can you...." I left the question dangling.
In reply he wordlessly rolled them down and I immediately felt the pressure on my muscles relax.
"I wonder why you young girls wear such tight clothes",
"Excuse me I'm not a young girl", I protested, "I am 22 and am here to finalize the premises for my first business".
"... and I'm 47, so you are still a young girl to me. I own this building and was coming over to meet a new tenant, but got delayed on the way from the gym".
"Looks like you are in this mess because of me, so I need to make doubly sure you are alright".
All the while his hand had been kneading my calf muscles, his fingers finding one knot after other and easing them out. I was whimpering at times, sighing with relief and letting out small gasps, just focused on the feel of his hand on my thigh, by which he held my leg in place.
All of a sudden, the elevator gave a few jerks, slipped down a bit and again shuddered to a stop. I was once again thrown off balance. But this time he'd quickly straightened up and held me upright by throwing his body behind me. I was trapped between his body and the wall and I felt a warmth building inside me.
"This is not good, this is not good at all." I could sense the worry in his voice. "Look can you stay still for a few minutes, just stay where you are."
I watched as his hands probed some sort of a lever or a button on the sides of the elevator door, and then he pushed the door open. We both stared incredulously as we saw that the elevator had come to a halt midway between two floors. there was almost a five-foot gap between the floor of the elevator and the floor below. The stairwell and the rest of the building was completely dark. The only light available was his phone which he had switched on for giving light.
"We'll have to climb out of here, do you think you can manage to jump down", he asked me with what sounded like fear.
"I'm not sure", I answered nervously, more afraid because he was afraid.
"OK! I'll go first, you hold the phone to give light and then I'll catch you".
"I...o....ok", I agreed even more afraid now, I didn't want to be alone in that elevator for even a second without his reassuring presence.
My hands shook as he gave me his phone, and then he easily swung down to the floor below, landing safely.
My palms were clammy with sweat, 'how did I sweat so much in just a few seconds', I wondered,
"C'mon, now, there's no time to delay", he called out from that abysmal darkness.