Waiting for the Elevator

The elevator doors stayed closed for a while.

A woman stood near the wall with a paper bag in one hand.

Gray floor. Gray walls. A small square window at the end of the hallway.

Beyond the window, yellow flowers filled a small gap between the buildings.

A few thin utility poles stood far apart.

Patches of green broke through the yellow in uneven shapes.

The sunlight outside was brighter than the hallway lights.

One side of the window frame reflected a pale white line.

She looked down at the floor first.

Then toward the numbers above the elevator.

Then toward the window again.

One foot turned slightly before the rest of her body did.

Somewhere downstairs, a metal door shut once.

The yellow outside the window did not change.

The elevator had not arrived yet.