"Do not worry, ladies, we'll ensure your safety once we get you and your guys out of this building," one of the officers said.
They wore baggy black overalls and shaded helmets. It was quite a conundrum to determine whether one was a guy or a girl, if none among them spoke. As funny as that thought may be, Meyline puffed her cheeks and sighed deeply. Not the time for that.
"Cool beans, we'll just gather our things."
"Don't think that's possible, Mey..." Adeline replied.
"Right..." She lightly palms her head and faces the officers.
Most of them were gone, as they could hear faint mechanical sounds and a couple of grunts as their harness brought a couple of vests and ropes. Celery immediately touched it, curious like a child on Christmas, tracing the rough edges. The steel-built fibers meshed into the fabric. The little hint of neon lights during physical contact. The hardness and firmness of the material. The way it's so big and thick and g-
"Are you serious?"
Only for that review to be broken up by a strand of someone's annoying purple hair. Having worn the vest already, with every other officer looking at her. Silent.
"Geez..." Meyline sighed, putting it on rather angrily.
"This is Quernt, we've got this room secured." A pause, "Got it, we're almost done on this floor." Another pause, "Roger, copy that..." he nodded and glanced over.
"Miss, how many are in here?"
"Around eighteen of them," Adeline answered. "Some are sleeping, though, we've made sure to make each one aware of your arrival..."
With a gesture, other officers took in the two as they were brought down the building. The same repeated process went on and on, as the group dispatched and went through with every personnel and staff member quickly. No such time can wait for an unstable building.
"Phew.... that sure was a drop..." one of them glanced up, taking in the view.
"From this POV, you'll barely see any damage, I'll say that much. But look over from this side, and you'll see..." Another one tilted their face sideways, and there it was.
Scratched roads, buildings with burn marks, apartments with visible dents, and a destroyed hospital, appearing like a sore thumb. Many, many unexplained things occurred within that single instance of time.
"Pretty sure that article's got that down. Or... it could be some powerscaling nerd who thinks it's their time to shine when it comes down to these types of things," one of them commented, looking behind them as well.
"Are you kidding me? That shit only exist in cartoons, bruh." sigh "I hope that we can get some day-off, cuz this has been so much even for me...." he shakes his head.
"We'll figure something out. See ya, Molly." waves at him.
"Gotcha."
--------------------------------
Bulletin boards over bulletin boards. Sign after sign. Each passing of the same image, no matter how ruined, remains to bore him forever. Seeing each measure of chaos as the traffic hits, he glanced at the window to get a view. So much had changed in such a short amount of time. No matter how much he closes or blinks, however, it remains.
Why has it changed that much? Why do they look so normal now? Why does he remain so unbothered despite this surplus of unknowninty?
His face was straight, slumped back in the chair as the traffic light counted down to zero. He shakes his head again and bobs back and forth, scratching an invisible itch on his back as the car flies forward, rocking him backwards. He grunted softly before trying to bop to whatever song on the radio. He closed his eyes, wanting to greet himself, only to find no stranger in his imaginary bed.
No matter what happened in his dreamy - "Last Friday night" - there were no drinks ever drunk by him on the thoughts about someone whom he just cannot get out of his head.
He sees white? Her. He sees the clock? Her. He sees the... what? What does the clock have to do with any of this? Each time he would glance at her face, the sounds of the news would repeat...
...time-related discrepancies...
..."It's nothing..."
"It wasn't nothing!" He slaps his face, only to hear the knocking on the solid glass.
"Oi mate? Yer daydreaming or what?" asked the driver, chuckling as he saw a flushed Molly who was trying so hard to hide his embarrassment.
"Nothing. Just... dealing with stuff," he closed his eyes. Nope, it's still her in there.
"Ah, must be your girlfriend, eh?" smiled the driver, pressing a button as the window let the wind wash over his face, letting the cold air cool over his head.
"Tell ya what, lots of you kids these days are early to hop in the bunny hole. Especially us guys, I know it can be a hassle not to pound something to relieve that stress. Don't tell me I am wrong, though, right?" He giggled.
"Yep! Haha... you're right..." Molly gleefully replied.
"Just give it time to simmer, kiddo. Don't rush or make it too artificial. Feels like you're forcing yourself...." he shrugged, gesturing something in front of him as they stopped, before continuing after a short pause.
Molly remained silent after that, but nodded.
"I've been there, don't worry."
Stops....
"Here we are... That'll be about 10 bucks."
"Thanks, sir." He hands him a scruffy bill, "I'll be on my way..."
"Don't call me sir, kiddo. You appear more like one than me anyway! Hahaaha!" it wasn't even exactly a laugh, since a mix of cough went along with it.
"Yeah, yeah!" he smiled, waving bye at such a good driver. "But he's right..."
Just tell her to take it slow, alright, Molly? You feel like a creep doing all of that. At least tell her to go home or something, that should be it. Straightforward and not forced. Like how it goes in TV shoes...
And right as he knocked at the door...
"Nicole?" he asked.
Asleep maybe? Haa.....
Clicks....
"Nicole, I'm hom-"
...
"Nicole?"