Another Reality

I run out and start calling the police, but nothing. I try again and nothing. "Alicia, do you have your cell phone?".

"Yes. Why?".

"Try to call the police or anyone." She does what I said and starts calling but nothing too “Damn it! Is anyone able to call someone?!”. I ask. I see several people trying and none of them succeeds.

"Now what? What do we do?!". Question June.

"Do not know. I think we should go to a police station or something to see what's going on”. Strand replies.

“I don't think this is a good idea. You heard what the journalist said: to stay at home. We don't know anything yet. And you saw what that guy did to that family! I don't want to take that risk!”. Ends Alicia.

“I'm going to go down and see what's going on there. To see if I can get an answer”. Speak Luciana.

I go back to my desk and try the phone again. Nothing. What the hell! I see some people doing the same, and others calming down. I feel a hand on my shoulder and jump "Sorry again... but trying to call someone is just a waste of time." Alicia says.

“I was still a little hopeful, but now it's over. I hate to tell you this but you were right before”.

"Right about what?". She asks me.

“About being scared. We don't know anything, and after watching that video... my god Alicia! What the hell is going on?!”. I ask indignantly.

"I dont know. I wish I could have an answer but I can't... ”. She was interrupted by a loud banging door. Then we see Luciana and the building's security guard John entering the room breathless.

"What happened?! Are you guys okay?!”. Morgan asks.

“I didn't really understand what happened, I was there at the entrance and I see these people running, screaming, one attacking the others, blood everywhere. And I see Luci being attacked by a man, I just had time to get him out of her and run away”. Ends John.

“My God, Luci! Are you alright?!". Question Alicia worried about her friend.

“Yes, thanks to John. But that guy was just like the guy from the video we saw on the TV... he was not ok”.

"Jesus! Did he bite you or something?”. Question June.

"No! He just grabbed me... I didn’t even have time to put my foot out of the building”. Luci answers.

“Ah great! And now what are we going to do? We cannot stay here forever! Some of us still have a family!”. Says Wes.

“Hey! Calm down, okay? We don't know what's going on out there! We only know that there are people being attacked and dying!”. I answer.

"I do not care! I will not stay here in this place locked for life!”. He responds by coming towards me challenging me.

“We're not saying that, you idiot! Nobody's going to stay here...” I say, moving towards him too, when I feel a hand pulling me back and I see Morgan doing the same to Wes “Calm down you two! We can't fight at a time like this!” Alicia says looking at me.

Then I nod in agreement and disarm.

"First of all we need a plan... a plan that we all agree on." Morgan says.

"So are you all in agreement?!" Morgan asks.

"Yes!". "Yeah!". "We agree!". "Let’s do this!". "We are ready!".

"Great! And remember, we need to be together and united!”. June says.

Alicia is a little hesitant, so I approach her and say “Hey, everything is going to be okay. We just have to stay together”. I smile.

"I'm not so sure, the last time you said that the world turned upside down Al". That nickname. Why only when she speaks does my heart beat faster?!

“It is true, but... let's think positive. We will not know what will happen until we try something, we cannot stay here much longer”. She nods.

Then we went out the door and started going down the stairs, some with some kind of weapon to defend themselves like pieces of broken chair, very slowly and in silence. We went down about 10 flights of stairs until we reached the ground floor, where we found some traces of blood and fighting.

We are in a number of about twenty people, so it is difficult to keep them all quiet, for example Wes “Hello?! Is there someone here?! What the hell happened here?! Where is everybody?!". He starts to scream.

“Hey! Keep your voice down! Are you trying to kill everyone?!”. I whisper.

“Please Al! There is nobody here! And even if it did, we would take it... look around you! Everyone is dead already!”.

“Not everyone you asshole! We're still alive! And we want to continue like this”.

Then he starts to laugh out loud “That was good Al! I didn't know you were a comedian! It seems that... ”. "Aaahhhhh!!!!". We were interrupted by someone in our group being attacked, so I turn around and see a man just like the one on TV attacking Stewart and others I didn't know. Damn it!

In a split second I grab Alicia and pull her into a room on the ground floor and call the others. I close the door and walk over to Wes “You idiot! Did you see what you did?! You killed those people!”. I say grabbing his collar and pushing it until it hits the wall “Do you have any idea what you just did?! Huh?!". Strand pulls me, holds me and takes me to a corner on the other side of the room “Calm down Al! It's not worth it... we have to keep silent. We still have company outside”.

"Oh yeah? Thanks to whom?!”. I mean looking directly at Wes.

"This is already in the past... unfortunately we have to think like that if we want to leave this place here alive".

“They were people that we worked with every day, Strand! Jesus! That guy just killed them! How is this possible?!". I ask indignantly.

"I dont know. But whatever it is is the real enemy now... remember: the enemy is out there, not in here”. He answers.

"I agree to disagree". I face Wes again. He nods and leaves.

I stay there for a few more minutes to cool it down, when I see Alicia crying, being supported by Luciana and June. I wanted to go there and tell her that everything was gonna be okay but I don't have the courage, because I know that would be a lie. So I go in the opposite direction, where I see Morgan, John, Strand, Daniel, Dwight talking "We don't know if this is going to work". I hear Dwight talking.

"What will not work?". I ask curiously.

"We are trying to come up with a plan to get out of here."

"And...?". I come closer.

"We have one but... we don't know if it's a good idea". Says Daniel.

“Whatever it is, we have to try. Look at these people... we can't stay here much longer. We need water, food”. I answer by looking around.

“You're right... we need to try. But we need volunteers to do that”. Morgan says.

"Folks! Please pay attention! I know y’all scared and tired, but we have a plan! But in order to do it we need all the help we can get... so is anyone willing to go out there and help us?!”. Announce John.

People look at each other and shake their heads. I hear sobs and cries. There is no way for these people to help us.

"No? No one?". Strand asks.

“Not even you, Wes? Why am I not impressed?!”. I speak sarcastically. He shows me the finger, and I return it.

"Okay then... I understand. Well as soon as we get out of this door I need you to lock it up and be silent. Only come out when you hear this knock”. Then Daniel knocks on the door three times.

We start to equip ourselves, I take a piece of iron from a broken chair, when I feel a hand on my shoulder “Are you sure you’re going to do this? What if something happens?”. Says Alicia wiping away her tears.

“Don't worry... I'll be fine. It's not like we have a lot of options, right?”. I smile.

"Please be careful... both of you". She says looking at Strand too.

"No problem honey. We don’t plan on dying anytime soon, do we, Al?”. He pokes me and laughs.

"Of course! There's nothing to worry about, Alicia... I'll take care of him”.

"I hate it when you say that." She speaks.

I hear John opening the door very slowly and they start to leave one by one with some kind of weapon in hand. I give Alicia one last glance and close the door. It's now or never.