it's all fun and games until someone gets their eye poked...

or until the fire alarm sounds, staircase D is flooded with smoke and their is a panicked worker yelling for everyone to "EVACUATE NOW" over the building intercom.

we joked around about the power being out. we bet the firemen would be annoyed when they arrived to find us still working at our desks - and then, with a rush of adrenaline, our heart rates accelerated and we were briskly walking for a smoke free staircase. the frantic announcement made pits in all of our stomachs.

my eyes filled with tears as the firemen trudged by as we reached the 5th floor with their heavy equipment. I whispered thank you, which only made me want to cry more. sweet hilda was overcome by memories of her evacuation of the 57th floor of tower 1 seven years ago. "i watched them climb up, but they never came back down..."

in the end, the electrical fire seemed only to damage the floor where it began. we were sent home, only to hope power could be restored and these busy bees could get back to work tomorrow.