The Stairwell..

His reverie is interrupted by an enquiring voice calling down to him, “Hello Mister… the lift’s out of order”. Just typical he thinks, he’ll have to use the stairs. But as he looks up to where the voice came from to say thanks, he realises he's already in the stairwell. There's no one to be seen just the beige coloured carpet cutting a trail upwards between cream coloured walls. The voice must have come from beyond the point where the stairs bend, so he strides up the first few steps, eager to catch up and thank his benefactor. He's not sure why he's so keen, there seemed something familiar about it, a clear softly spoken man’s voice, with an underlying hint of concern.

Climbing up the stairs, he rounds the first corner and onto the half landing, eager to greet his caller… but there's no-one there. Perhaps the sound carried further than he thought, or perhaps the speaker having delivered his message has just gone on ahead. And why shouldn't he, if they doesn't know each other why would he expect this unnamed man to wait. Still curiosity and a little impatience spurs him on, so adding a little extra burst of speed to his climb he jogs up this flight of steps and rounds the next corner.

Still no-one and his thick woollen jacket, together with the exertion is starting to catch up with him. He's not as fit as he thought; his hand reaches out for the support of the polished steel banister. He won't catch up this way, so instead he calls out instead, “Hello, did you say you' think the lifts out of order?” He pauses awaiting a response, but one doesn't come, is he being ignoring or just can't heard. He calls out again a little louder this time and slightly pleading, “Hello? Mr the lift’s out of order” but still there’s no reply.

He climbs the next few steps, now half leaning on the banister for support, and pulling him self along it as it winds up around the walls and disappears around the next bend. Still no sign of his unseen caller, but maybe they’ve just bounded up several floors by now, he’s loosing a sense of the time now or even how far he’s come.  Still he trudges on to the next half landing, determined to keep moving forward.

He rounds the corner eager to meet the caller but there's still no-one there. He’s experiencing a growing sense of unease – is the caller trying to avoid him, but whey would he? No, he firms up his resolve, musters his energy and pushes on up the next flight.

He climbs the next few steps, now half leaning on the banister for support, and pulling him self along it as it winds up around the walls and disappears around the next bend. Still no sign of his unseen caller, but maybe they’ve just bounded up several floors by now, he’s loosing a sense of the time now or even how far he’s come.  Still he trudges on to the next half landing, determined to keep moving forward.

He rounds the corner eager to meet the caller but there's still no-one there …

    Inspired by "The Continuous staircase" by MC.Escher.