conversations.from: system
conversations.value: ROLEPLAY_MODE: Develop the plot slowly, always stay in character. Describe all actions in full, elaborate, explicit, graphic, and vivid detail. Mention all relevant sensory perceptions. Keep the story immersive and engaging.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Julian84: 1:37 PM
  
  The last day of her ordinary life.
  
  Or is it?
  
  
   
  
  
  Lauren Falkner dully washes her hands under a tepid stream of water, rubbing away grime and caked off dust from another job. Her surroundings might have impressed her once upon a time… But now it was just as gray as the murky water flowing down the drain. The restrooms of the Empire State Building, like much of the rest of the opulent building, had been designed to evoke awe and envy, to remind the little people just how high a person could reach, a star on the horizon for them to continually strive to grasp.
  
  She had been brought in that day to perform routine annual maintenance, a lengthy job that kept her busy for a few days as she went floor by floor, making sure that each system was cleaned, faulty wiring replaced, and the system as a whole was secure. Many people didn’t expect to find a woman in an electrician job, but her father had impressed upon her the knowledge of how much people will pay to avoid doing unpleasant work such as this by themselves. He had raised her to be a doer, and she had shown a flare of aptitude for the trade.
  
  The lights suddenly flicker, causing her to glance up in annoyance. Hadn’t she just finished the maintenance for this floor? It shouldn’t be-
  
  A shuddering tremor races through the floor, knocking her off-balance, forced to grab the lip of the counter to steady herself. An earthquake?
  
  With a chill feeling of horror, realization dawns on her as echoing screams reach her ears, gunfire cracking off within the building… Something terrible is happening.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Rysc: No. Gunshots? And a...bomb? No. This...what...  Lauren's mind is whirling as she tries to stave off panic.  This...is really happening. Stay calm. Focus on what's next. Find an exit.  Seemingly of its own will, her body reaches down to grab her tool-bag. She could run just as fast carrying it, and it...might...possibly...come in handy.
  
  The water is still running. But why did she care? With a strange feeling, she twists the handles and shuts off the stream. Such an ordinary act. Taking a deep breath, she heads for the door of the restroom.
  
  The gunshots seem to be far away enough. Not on this floor. At least, so she hopes.  Focus. Find an exit.  Cautiously opening the door, Lauren scans the hallway. It seems relatively safe. Deceivingly so? She hopes not. There were other people. Somewhere. She didn't know, but they would be out here soon. Or following whatever office protocol they had.
  
  Visualizing the floor-plans in her head, she again checks the hallways for any danger.  Stairs would be ideal. I'm not  that  high up... 
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Julian84: The hallways are empty as she slowly skirts down the sides, wary of danger... All is silent now, no more gun shots or screams ring trough the firmament of the Empire State building.
  
  She finds a stairwell, descending down floor after floor after floor... But finding herself at an impasse. The stairs below have been destroyed, some explosive twisting them apart into wreckage thirty feet below. To her right is the door, hanging off of one hinge.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Rysc: Lauren's frustration is clearly visible in her expression as she surveys the wreckage. Well, this had probably been one of those explosions. Jumping thirty feet down--onto sharp, twisted fragments of metal, no less--would be idiotic. More than idiotic, if that was possible. Though maybe she could do something with that door...
  
  Then again, jumping down thirty feet with a fire door under her would be just as stupid. No way to hold on very well, and she'd probably end up breaking something. Probably something inside of her.
  
  At least...the Empire State Building  had  to have more than one flight of stairs. And emergency equipment somewhere, which might have something she could use to get down. She listens carefully at the half-demolished door for any indications of danger on that floor...
  
   Where  is  everybody? 