The Attack

There was a rumble in the distance, the ground trembled at the sound of fallen debris.

A few minutes later, Nonchalantly, Roy was watching the wildlife channel on the “Tele” when his phone rang; Star Noirs ringtone...SKREETCH! Ow! My ears, Keith? Sorry, the signal is acting up, “you still at home?” Yeah, why the stress bro, listening intently he broke his silence, “You kidding me?! I’m heading straight to the scene!” “No, no, no I’m not sticking my head into another demolition job, just to inhale all dust particles and die of asthma, no thanks,” Roy said while flicking a piece of Cheeto into the air and downing it, “why do you always make this hard...” Keith chuckled in frustration, “Because you always get me into trouble, and I agreed to write a blog on news stories like an undercover, underpaid, underappreciated reporter, but not become Sherlock,” Roy sighed as he switched off the ’tele’ and put on his coat, “what I’m saying is, we dig too far like the last and the “shades” will be on our tails. “That’s the risk we need for a story and this will make our fan base turn in for the real opinion, they will be asking questions on our weekly ’Laymen’s View’ podcast, Not every day an active building crumbles outta thin air- for the umpteenth time.” Roy walked outside to see the dark puff of smoke in the city center, “Okay enough, and let’s get there before the circus.”

A beat down sky blue truck enters the lane as Roy approaches it with a smirk, Keith nods, as they drive closer to the dense cloud of smoke covering the city like a table cloth, Roy peered through the truck’s back window, We will be using the overalls and hard hats today, said Keith, ” You finally convinced your dad to lend those?” Roy looked back with a raised brow, “Oh I just made sure I help him with his work from time to time in exchange, I need the cash even though I could lose it if anything happens to his equipment...we here,” he rides to the side road before heading ahead, they put on the overalls and hard hats, “take this,” Keith introduces two gas masks from a case, “whoa neat”, Roy looked impressed. As they headed back on the main they saw and heard sirens and people still being evacuated from the area, which was odd, as they would have cleared the area beforehand, it was panicked, ” I see a blockade, it looks tough to get through,” as they approach the dust is thinner and a police guard stands before them, “This doesn’t seem like a planned demolition to me, Keith.”

Trying to keep calm the officer in the hazmat suit skipped towards the window. “Young man we cannot let you through just yet it’s a hazardous area.” Good day, we’re the demolition crew, just scanning the area so we can give feedback to our boss said Keith thinking on his feet, we also need to record the damage done. “Okay, just wait a few minutes until everything is clear, it’s a bit early but I’ll let you in to video record, and that’s all.” “No problem sir we will wait.” Impressive said Roy. “Well, we chill for a bit.” - Roy uses the chair lever to put himself lower and puts his hands behind his head. Minutes go by as firefighters and cops emerge from the smoke carrying kids and helping the victims out of the vicinity, helicopters that are lifting the wounded. “I see the edge of, what the... only, one building?” What, you mean said Roy. “Look.” Roy pulled up the lever, and saw through his beady eyes- the smoke had cleared up, but only dark smog came from one building...Micro-Corp.”

Excuse me, gentleman,-the Italian-accented cop said, “You are free to go.”

“Thanks.”

- Keith drives carefully around and parks the truck on the side street, and gets his tripod.” We need the shovels too” He gestures to the shovels in the back. As they walked up towards the smoking silver chimney, the voices of cops and citizens became echoes, and there she stood, barely, with half of the building jagged with edges of glass, concrete, and rubble all scattered, she stood with the sun now reaching the mirror-like windows.

Within the dark smog, there was a snapping hiss, the sun behind the clouds now projecting a gigantic silhouette behind the veil, aligning with the 51-story building.