Thanks for all your views guys, I can see the imaginative ones are the most appealing. This thing really puzzled me for a while but after watching the video about twenty times I'm going to take a stab about what Elisa was thinking in the lift and right before she died. I like this puzzle because it’s a great mystery, we’ll probably never know the answer and any possibility could be the correct one but this is what I think she was thinking:
“Crap, I’m having a shit day, I’ve lost my phone so I can’t call my family back in Canada so they’ll worry and now I have to walk up loads of stairs cause the sodding lifts don’t work. I know this lift is not going to work but I’ll go in and press all the floor buttons anyway (waits a few seconds). Knew it. Ah I’m stressed. Ok, let’s play spies, anyone around? (quickly glances out the lift door both ways). Nope. Ok I’m gonna hide in the corner.
“Hm, I heard a sound, is someone coming like a hotel worker who could fix this damn thing (stands in doorway looking out)? Nope, let’s keep playing spies, jump out the lift, take one step left, back in, back out and left again. Ah, so stressed (leans against wall). I just didn’t need this today and now I’ve got a headache (puts both hands on head for a few seconds). Argh, alright screw this thing, I’ll come back in and press all the buttons again and again and again (presses all floor buttons three times), and screw you stupid lift (walks out of lift without waiting, straightening hair behind ears as she goes in an unconscious effort to calm down).
“Alright this is what I’ll say to them, hi there (mimes waving), this lift isn’t working it doesn’t go down and it doesn’t go up, I’ve complained to your staff so many times but they don’t help at all (waves hands wildly in anger). All I want is one thing (holds up index finger to indicate one and twists it in frustration) and you jerks can’t even fix that for me so screw you (sticks up middle finger and twists that angrily too). Fine, I’ll take the damn stairs.”
A possible follow-up way of her thinking that led to her death once she gets to her hotel room, even more frustrated from having to walk up a load of stairs, is:
“Alright I’m back in my room, hot and pissed off. Let’s take a shower. There’s no water. THAT DOES IT. I’m gonna go up on the roof, where I went last night cause I wanted some fresh air, into those big water containers up there and take a bath in their god-damned water supply. That’ll show them! I’ll leave my purse and handbag here and just take my room key. I know how to getup the roof, I just go through this unalarmed fire exit at the end of the corridor, walk up the fire escape like I did last night and bingo, I’m on the roof.”
“Alright, there are the water containers. Hm, they’re tall but if I shimmy up carefully I can get to the top cause I’m young and athletic. Let’s take the lid off, god it’s heavy. Ok, let’s lower myself in, ah it’s nice and warm. Ok, let’s drag the lid back into place in case anyone comes up here and there we go. I’m in the water in the dark. Let’s take my clothes off so I can feel more free, I might even have a little wee. That’ll show the hotel! Haha!”
“Ah crap, I left my watch on, that’s ok it’s a cheap one anyway. Hm, there’s not much air in here, I might open the hatch. Ah. I can’t find it because the container’s roof is smooth and the floor is far beneath my feet. I can’t climb up the sides because they’re smooth. Maybe this was a bad idea. Uh-oh. Uh-oh, I’ll bang on the sides and maybe someone will hear me. Help! HELP! I can’t breath, I can’t breath. Oh god, oh god, oh god, oh god, OH GOD…”
The autopsy report ruled accident so presumably the experienced officers investigating the case saw no evidence of murder or suicide. Still, like I said the death is unusual enough to leave anything possible so I might use it to make a good story out of :D
