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– an old post from one of my older other blogs hanging somewhere along limbo land

I smelled my freshly made coffee. The aroma isn’t close to anything burned. I checked the heater, the plugs, the laptop and the printer but none appeared to be overheated. I went out of my office and checked the gym. Someone’s running on the treadmill. I checked the pool. Nothing unusual except for the foggy air that seemed like someone’s barbecuing on the other yard. I went to the Spa reception and everything seemed normal.  I went back to my office to proceed with my research.

Fire fighters. I saw them as I looked through my glass window. There were two of them. I went outside and checked the gym again. Someone’s still running. The fog at the pool seemed to get thicker. There was chaos at the reception. The sirens, they are deafening.

I’ve been through a lot of fire evacuation drills but this one’s for real. I don’t know what to take. I don’t know what to do.  It seemed like I haven’t learned anything from those drills. My mobile, my bag. I haven’t saved my files. Hibernate the laptop. Switch off everything. I swiftly ran down. The staircase filled with smoke. It’s hard to breath. I coughed and it was not a pretense.  I ran down, as fast as I could. The flower shop at the ground floor was closed down. The Real Estate kiosk was empty. Surely they were the first to evacuate. I need to get out quickly. I need some air.

It was not so much of a commotion but the crowd was huge. There were barricades and security, an obvious warning that we can’t move closer. The staff of all the restaurants and shops at the ground floor gathered in groups. Some Managers are still looking for their staff. Some are briefing their team. Tourists still taking photos. Children are still riding their bikes while the parents still sip their coffee while sitting at the nearby coffee shop. Civil defense, running back and forth. Some wanting to go through the barricades as the parking lot is on the other side where the smoke is coming from.

Where did the fire start?

I waited outside the building for a sign that I can come back to the office to at least save my files and shut down my laptop properly but not a chance. Two hours have passed but the smoke only got thicker.

I went to work the next day. The sliding doors of the building were kept open and fans were on. The whiffs of yesterday’s flames are still present. Smoke is still in the air. The hand rails on the stair case were covered with ashes. The café wasn’t open for breakfast. The flower shop hasn’t hanged their valentine’s display yet. The Real Estate Kiosk was still empty.

I opened my office, the cup on my desk still full of yesterday’s coffee.