Story at a glance
- Martin (12, thin, nervous) and his father move to the 17th floor of an old building.
- The elevator: tiny (3 people), dim, dirty, door slams, shudders, groans; Martin feels trapped, fears it will fall.
- Stairs: dark, windowless, echoing; father scorns him as a coward; insists on the elevator.
- Meeting 1 (morning, 14th floor): fat lady, green coat, piggish face, tiny sharp blue eyes, fleshy cheeks, no chin; stares silently.
- Martin wonders; feels ashamed to fear an old lady.
- Meeting 2 (after school, 3rd floor): she presses 18, not 14; watches him leave at 17 — knows his floor.
- Dinner: father dismisses it as ridiculous; will not ride with him.
- Meeting 3 (next morning): she smiles; Martin panics, runs down the dark stairs, falls, breaks his leg.
- Father angry, silent on the way to hospital; cast and crutches.
- Ending: father gets off at the 9th floor — "Grow up, Martin"; at the 10th floor the lady gets in; door closes; she presses STOP; smiles; "Hello, Martin."
Common traps
| Trap | Correct idea |
|---|---|
| The father encourages the stairs | He insists on the elevator (2027 specimen Q1(xvi)). |
| Martin lives on the 18th floor | He lives on the 17th; the lady pressed 18. |
| Martin broke his leg in the elevator | He fell on the dark stairs. |
| The father rides up with Martin at the end | He gets off at the 9th floor. |
| The lady explains who she is | She never does; the ending is open. |
| The fall and the father's silence are unrelated | The fall is the cause of the silence (2025 specimen). |