Fires of Tasai

Fires of Tasai

If... if you're reading this, it may not be too late. If you're reading this now it means there is still hope. It means there is someone else in the world who can... who can read or something. Be alive. Think. Act. I don't know. I'm just so scared and I think I'm starting to loose it or something.

I'm not sure if there will even be a Marsenus after all this has happened. I'm writing this all out on stolen stationary, got it? I've been trapped in this building for what must be a week now. It groans and shakes every time the wind blows, but I guess after it's been hit with so many V.I. explosions I should be thanking the Twelve I'm even still alive.

It must have been at least a week since it happened. I was at work, the Tallac-Hathemore building down on sixth. I was in the middle of a call, the biggest sell of my life. I kept thinking it was a matter of life and death unless I get this customer. God was I wrong.

I know in picture shows everything happens all dramatic like. Like explosions and stuff to make the movie goer all into it and stuff. But it wasn't like that. My boss called an emergency meeting which really pissed me off. I mean, I was working on that big sell right? I was gonna ask for a raise, maybe try for a promotion or something. Who knows right? But anyway, so we all filed in there one by one. It quickly became standing room only. I never realized how many of us there was until I saw us all lined up like that. It was like, how many of these people do I spend half my day with and don't even know anything about? It was kinda creepy.

The boss ma'm started talking about how in a time of crisis the most important key was to remain calm. I thought at first that our branch was being closed down for some reason, or maybe the company's higher ups had sticky fingers and we were bankrupt or something. I remember looking around at all those familiar strangers and seeing the looks on their faces that said pretty much the same thing.

Then the boss ma'm just came out and said it. “We've been attacked. The Tsani Army marched from the north and... just razed everything in it's path.”

Everyone's face went ghost white and emotionless. Only the boss ma'm showed emotion, she actually started to cry. I guess it was the stone cold lady in black sobbing while giving a little speech that just kinda freaked me out. She was never like that you understand. She was always all business, all for the company type stuff. It was just so surreal. Like you were waiting for someone to stand up and say that it was all a joke or something.

She told us how they had already taken Alaspa and Rangor and how all that stood between us and them was Tippat, some little town to the north of us that I had heard about but never really thought to go to. It's kinda weird what you think of when you're in a spot like this. First I thought about how I'd never get to see Tippat's famous candy factory. Then I realized that Rangor held the greatest percentage of my clients. I guess I was just trying to make sense out of a situation that really didn't make any at all. I've had a whole week to think on this stuff you know?

But anyway, the boss ma'm told us all that the town was being evacuated and that we all were to go home and pack only what we could carry on foot and head to the train station. From there we'd be taken to... somewhere. She was a little vague on the details, I'm sure she really didn't even know.

After she dismissed us, we all just filed out of the room slowly, exchanging a few smiles but nothing more than that. I mean, I had worked at the company for almost five years and I know there were others that had been there longer. But what do you say at a time like this? There was no way anything we said would change the fact that we were all sheep that were being released from our pen cause the barn had caught fire. We were just... scared.

I was one of the last to leave the building, mostly cause I guess I'm a dishonest bastard at heart and I wanted to lift a few things that wouldn't be missed. I'm not sure why, I think I was just mad because I had worked really hard for the company and it kinda felt like we had all been let go. Only no severance package, no retirement funds. Hell even the stuff I had at my house was going to be left behind for the most part. I kept thinking, I'm twenty-seven years old and what will I have to show for it but a beat up suitcase full of knockoff suits and a little red toothbrush? Besides, I didn't take anything big really, a few pens and stationary (which is how I'm even writing this thank you very much), a coffee mug, and a motivational poster that had hung in the conference room for gods only know how long. It had that discoloration under it, you know? I don't know why that's important but it's just one of those things that stuck out.