'I feel it's only fair to warn you being new and all. The fire alarm is due to go off in about five minutes and it's pretty loud.'
I looked around resignedly taking stock of my surroundings. It was an open plan office, lots of people sitting at desks arranged in neat little rows. The tinted windows showed that we were very high up. Must be at least seventy floors. Where was the fire exit? Ah, there it was behind me, not too far. Not that it mattered. I turned my gaze back to the guy at the desk across from me that was still droning on about the fire alarm.
'You know,' I broke out into a huge grin, interrupting his flow. 'I have learned to cherish these moments.'
'What,' he looked puzzled. 'Sorry? What moments?'
'Five minutes till the alarm you say?'
'Erm, well yeah buddy.'
Clasping my hands behind my head I leant back in the chair and put my feet up on the desk. For a moment, I felt that familiar panic stir in my gut but I quickly tamped it down. I was getting used to that. The guy across was looking at me oddly.
'There say there isn't any such thing as an ordinary life eh?' I nodded amicably at him.
'Riiiight buddy.' Pausing. 'Sure thing. They don't really approve of feet on desks hmm?'
I could see the minute shake of his head as he dismissed me. Cursing his luck at his new seating partner no doubt. Well. That would be the least of his worries in five minutes. Actually, scratch that. Probably four now. Maybe less. I didn't often get a chance to chat. I couldn't pass it up.
'Married?' I motioned to the ring on his finger.
He gave me a wary look. 'Yeeah buddy, sure am. 15 years.' He couldn't help himself. 'Some get less for murder yeah?' He smiled smugly at his own joke.
'You might want to give her a call? Tell her you love her? I think at this point in time it would be a very good idea.'
Perhaps it was loneliness or just compassion that made me say that. I couldn't say. After all, I had no idea if he was real or not. Everyone always looked so very real and alive. That was part of the problem.
'Maybe I should do what? Listen pal, are you screwing with me? I ain't finding this very funny. For a new guy you sure ain't making the best impression.'
'I know, I seem a little screwy huh?' I shrugged my shoulders, made a 'What ya gonna do' gesture.
'A little, yeah.' He turned his head from my direction. A-hole I heard him whisper.
'I'll be straight with you pal. In less than a couple of minutes, something bad is gonna happen. It's a skyscraper, probably a bomb. Maybe just a straight up fire. Who knows? Given your immediate proximity to me, I don't rate your chances much. So you are doomed to die a probably painful messy death... Go on, give your wife a call. Tell her you love her. Please?'
I simply couldn't pass the opportunity up to give him that chance, real or not. Screaming panic mixed with solitude for an eternity kinda does that to you. But no. He was looking at me with a combination of horror and utter disdain. I could see a few others peeking sideways at me too. It was too late, then I smelt it.
'Too late bud, I think that is smoke.' I sniffed dramatically. It was faint, very faint. After all the fires I had been through, I knew they could and did spread in minutes. Yep, more pungent now. The fire alarm went off. People started to stand, including the guy across from me.
'Smoke? Are you fucking nuts? Are you serious? It's just the... wait... is that smoke?' He looked this way then that before barrelling past my desk toward the exit.
Maybe he had heard the distant sound of screaming which had started. People leapt to their feet, some pausing to collect their jackets and bags, hastening toward the fire exits. I waited. I had no desire to be crushed or burnt to a dark stinking death on a stairwell. The last of them streamed past me, now starting to run, sobs and cries piercing a now ominous rumbling noise.
Have you heard a fire? A real fire? Again the panic rose in me at that oncoming roaring sound but I steadied myself. It's ok. At least you have a view. I snorted a laugh and wiped away an involuntary tear. I walked over to the windows already starting to warp and buckle in the heat licking up the sides of the building. I didn't like burning. It was a particularly bad way to go. Maybe one of the windows would crack and I could jump? The floor tiles nearby smouldered and sparked.
I sat on a nearby chair, closed my eyes and tried to blot out the roaring and the screaming. It sounded like hell. I often wondered if that's what this was. It didn't take long for the fire to reach me. I found it much harder to blot out the screaming then, when the screaming was coming from me.
'Are you ok dear?' The old lady leant toward me with a benevolent smile. 'You looked as if you were having a bad dream?'
I looked at her blankly. Before looking around, narrow cabin, fasten seat belts sign flashing. A plane! Well, this was a stroke of luck. I broke out into a huge smile and despite my trembling reached out and clasped her hand. 'We're on a plane! Well, at least this will be a quick one!'
She looked at me quizzically.
I pulled her a little closer, pointing to her wedding band. 'Are you married?... You might want to give your husband a call, tell him you love him.'