As I start to slowly come to, the first thing I notice is a rhythmic, heavy pressure on my chest. I snap my eyes open to see Frank on top of me, trying to perform CPR. I spudder up a cough and reach up to push him off me. “Thank god, you stopped breathing when that thing hit you.” Frank says. “Well I’m breathing now so please stop trying to cave my check in.” I say. I try to sit up but Frank pushes me back down. “What part of you stopped breathing is confusing, stay down the ambulance is on its way.” “How long was I out for?”
“Two minutes.”
“How is it outside?”
“Partial Pandemonium, the other guys will handle it.”
“So you saw it, whatever that was?”
“Ya, scared the piss out of me, followed by you banging your head on the desk on the way to the floor.”
“Sorry.”
“Why you apologizing? Ain't your fault. Ah, the paramedics. She's breathing and conscious now.”
The paramedics came into the office and looked me over meanwhile Frank got on the phone with big boss Matthew, at least I assume. After a barrage of questions in a few quick tests, they loaded me onto a stretcher and said they were taking me to the hospital. “Michael ain't going to like this, expect a visit from him and HR.” Frank says.
“Yeah well you saw me basically die, so they can suck my nonexistent dick.” I say as I'm wheeled out.
Let me tell you, a security guard getting taken out on a stretcher and a good look, even worse when the place is already in chaos from whatever that was. So of course these guys dragged me out the main entrance. oh well sounds like Matthews problem now.
The trip to Millhaven hospital was uneventful, just a little long because of traffic and chaos. it seems to be the running theme since that thing came flying through. On the way there there were more tests, had to follow the finger with my eyes. They checked this out of my head where I supposedly hit the desk, but found nothing wrong. It's weird I feel fine, and they're supposedly isn't even a red mark. once we pulled into the hospital it was out of the ambulance and into the ICU. There were more tests, and I was hooked up to a bunch of machines for a while. Eventually they got an MRI and an x-ray on my head, but both apparently came back normal.
I look fine, I feel fine, and seemed fine, so they decided to move me to a normal room and keep me overnight for observation. The doctor said the wave thing was most likely the cause of my condition, supposedly they have four other cases here under the same circumstances. He couldn't tell me any more though because of HIPA and all that. so here I am 3 hours later in my hospital room, laying on my ass and wondering if I should call my parents. Probably not, I'm fine and mom would just unnecessarily freak out. Dad wouldn't give a shit, but mom might try to drag him along the 3 hour drive to see me, so he would just be a cranky ass. Just as I finish that line of thought the door to my room opens and in walks everyone's not so favorite asshole boss, the security director for our site, Michael. right behind him is a small woman in a casual business attire, probably HR, since our area supervisor is a dude. “Jackie, how are you feeling? Frank said the strange wave thing knocked you out and you took a spill right?” Michael asked with a fake smile. “Yes, I was watching cameras when I saw it come through West 2 cam, I stood up and tried to warn Frank. Next thing I remember is Frank performing CPR on me.” I say.
I have to remember he is not my friend, and Michael is an ass. So I plan on giving them only what I have to and nothing more. “Do you think you are able to return to work tomorrow?” HR lady asks while scribbling on her Notepad. She's probably recording the conversation too. “I don't know, the doctor said they want to keep me overnight for observation." Several similar questions aimed at getting me to say something they could use to wrangle out of workman's comp, or responsibility in general, follow. Finally they took the hint and said their goodbyes, but not before leaving me with an accident form to Bill out when I can, and about 10 documents to sign. One of them is an agreement saying I won't sue them at all over this incident, like I'm dumb enough to sign that. I'm not looking for a Payday, but if something does come up I'm not going to let them just wash their hands of me. I get to work reading the report, no sense wasting time I guess.
About 20 minutes later I sigh and put the finished report down. those two vultures will be back at the crack of dawn tomorrow for the paperwork. Hopefully I'll be released before they get here. It would be great to be dropping the papers at Michael's office while they are here at the hospital looking for me. Well, guess I'll play games on my phone until I get bored enough to sleep.
A few hours later and I'm left with 20% battery by the time I decide to hit the hay, so I turn my phone completely off to save the remainder for tomorrow morning. Then I close my eyes and count how much I hate my physics professors until I fall asleep.
………
Round and round I tumble, the fire in my mouth burning me. I try to spit it out but it won't go away. Then I realize it's not just my mouth, all of me is on fire, inside and out. I flail and scream, it hurts so much, to much. Everything is a haze, then it starts to melt, and and round the void goes as I tumble, bleeding into itself until nothing is left. Then, emptiness, then nothingness…….
I'm slowly pulled out of my slumber by a loud incessant droning, so loud and shrill it makes my ears hurt. I reach up and my hands over them, pinning them to the top of my head in an attempt to get some peace. Finally I get enough of my cognizance back to realize, wait, I don't have ears on the top of my head!
Instantly I snap awake, the fire alarm is going off, the flashing bulb the only source of light aside from the pitiful bit peaking through the window curtains. I brink rapidly, trying to both clear my eyes and adjust them to the piercing light emitting from the alarm at every other second interval. Wait, shit, fire alarm! I can smell smoke, but thankfully I can't see any yet. I can hear the crackle and roar of flames somewhere down the hallway. That doesn't make any sense, but I'll have to deal with it later.
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I roll out of my bed and feel something get caught in the sheets. I look behind me to see a white, fluffy fur covered tail tangled in the sheets. The fuck is this? I reach back and yank it free only to nearly jump into the ceiling as the weird sensation runs up the tail and into my back. I stare at the new appendage in my hand for a few moments before an explosion that causes the whole building to shudder and knocks me from my stupor. Right, deal with it later, get out of the burning and exploding building now. I grab my phone off the side table and the plastic bag full of my stuff from underneath the bed. As I jog my way over to the door out of the room, I wonder why no one came to evacuate me. This is a hospital, shouldn't they have procedures for this kind of scenario?
My question answers itself when I throw the door open and almost plummet into the now non existent hallway, only managing to catch myself by grabbing the door frame at the last second. The floor of the hallway, and the rooms on the opposite side for that matter, are completely gone, nothing but a pile of rubble below that's a light in some places. I curse aloud and run back into my room, then throw open the curtains, hoping to see someone below who might come to my aid. I do see emergency vehicles, their lights blaring off in the distance, but not moving, not getting any closer. After a few moments of watching I realize they are holding back, staying on what looks to be a two block perimeter from the hospital.
Why? God fucking damn it, I need help! Why are they just sitting there!? Such a great investment of my taxes, just sitting there while the whole damn building burns down with me in it! OK calm down, I got out of here. Let's see, the door is a fiery pit of death, and the only way out, unless. I pull out my phone and turn it on. The minute it needs to fully boot feeling like an eternity as the sound of flames cracking continues to fill the hallway. Finally it turns on and I punch in the password that's required after restart. I pull up the call app and dial 911. It waits an agonizing moment then plays the dial tone, before ringing. Relief floods through me, only to be washed away when it rings again, and again, and again.
"We're sorry, your call could not be completed as dialed. Please check the number and try again."
I pull my phone away in disbelief then look up at the top bar full of various statuses. 19% power and…. No bars. I run over to the window and hold my phone up hoping desperately to get something, anything, but after a minute of trying I realize I'm not going to get anything. Modern hospitals are built like bunkers, that includes no wireless signals in or out. And with the power out, no wifi calling. Fuck!
I look back out the window, and look down. I'm in a room on the fourth floor, I might be able to make a rope out of sheets and towels. Maybe, but even falling probably beats burning to death.
I run over to the bed and rip off all the sheets, blankets, and the comforter. I even pull the pillow pillow casings off. Smoke is slowly starting to accumulate in the room through the open hallway door, so I run over and slam it closed before going back to rapidly tying multiple sheets together with an ungodly amount of knots to hopefully prevent slippage. Once I'm out of sheets from the bed I run over to the nearby closet and luckily find a spare set inside. I grab those and tie them together too. Once I'm done I notice it's gotten considerably hotter in here and the sound of glass shattering gets my attention. I'm out of time, I need to go now. I grab one of the chairs normally placed for visitors from the corner and chuck it at the window with all my strength. The moment the chair leaves my hand I realize it’s going way faster than it should. The chair smashes out the window, losing almost no momentum in the process. It proceeds to fly another good fifty feet horizontally before hitting the ground.
I stare at the remains of the chair for a few moments before the flickering of light down to my right gets my attention. There flames bellow from a singular window, but the others around it contain an angry orange glow. Right fire, gotta go now before either gets to me. I run over to my makeshift rope and tie it to the far end of the bed. Hopefully it's locked in place enough to not slide out the window. I grab my bag and hurl the makeshift rope out the window. I watch it fall and stop just below the second floor, about eight feet from the ground. I can work with this, just need to make sure I land properly.
I stop, just realizing how much of an idiot I am. I pull my phone back out and hold it up to my eyes.
'Iris not recognized'
Oh fuck off, over twenty years since they invented this shit and they still can't get it to work right. I hold it up and try again.
'Iris not recognized'
I'm about to curse out my phone when I take a closer look at the reflected image shown from the camera. My eyes are different, instead of the round pupils mine are now slits, closer to that of a cat. Great more shit I'll have to deal with later. I push in the password, and check for signal, one and a half bars. I open the call app, and dial 911.
It takes a tense moment, then the dial tone plays and I hold my breath. I'm frantically pleading in my head for this to work as it rings once, then twice.
"911 where is your emergency?"
"Oh thank god, I'm at the Millhaven hospital, room four six nine two. The building is on fire and I'm trapped."
There's a pregnant pause which makes my heart skip a beat, then the operator responds with sorrow in her voice.
"I'm afraid emergency services cannot reach you right now. You should start looking for any means of escape if you haven't already."
"What do you mean they can't reach me right now? I can see them so far off, why are they just waiting there!?" I scream frantically into the phone.
"Please calm down, there is something blocking emergency services from the area. I do not have information on what it is. How long do you think you can stay put? Do you have any means of escape available to you?"
"I've got a sheet rope but I don't want to try it unless I have to. I think I can wait five more minutes at most. The fire is close to cutting off my escape."
I look over and see the window two rooms to my right blow out as fire and smoke violently escape the building and rise into the air.
"Scratch that I have to go, now."
"I'll remain on the line until you get to the bottom and confirm your OK."
"Thank you." Is all I say before frantically throwing my phone in my bag, the bag on my back, and grabbing the rope.
I know I'm not that strong, I might get halfway to the ground before my arms give out, but that's still a hell of a lot less of a fall than the fourth floor. I slowly hang off the side, being carefully not to cut myself or the rope on any left over glass. I start to shimmy down the rope in a form halfway between a feet on wall and total rope climb, with my feet touching the side of the building to give me some space while my hands hold me up. I'm surprised by how easy this is. My twig ass arms should be straining and screaming by all the effort I'm putting in but I'm holding myself up without even breaking a sweat.
More weird shit I grumble to myself half happily. It's definitely helping right now, but I'll need to get to the bottom of what ever the fuck is happening to me once I'm done avoiding becoming human barbecue.
It's somewhat smooth climbing down the side until I get to the bottom of the rope. As I'm hanging trying to determine the best way to drop off the end, the sound of the rope tearing echoes above me. I don't even have time to look up and see where exactly before I'm sent plummeting to the ground, arms flailing and l screaming my lungs out.