Under Abnormal Conditions Read Online Free PDF

customers out, I addressed the employees.
    They were less than enthused.
    “I’m leaving!” Joey shouted.
    “Why we still here, man. Let us go home.”
Dexter said as he began packing up his saxophone.
    “I’ve got a family!” Mona chimed in from
behind.
    “I’m not asking anyone to stay,” I assured
them. “I’m just letting you know the situation. You are all free to
go. I don’t think there is anything to worry about.” I blatantly
lied. “But I’d rather be safe than sorry.”
    I excused everyone to get his or her
belongings and to meet at the front of the club in five minutes.
The bomb was scheduled to go off at ten o’clock, thus we had just
under an hour to evacuate. I couldn’t take a chance on a maniac
having a cheap watch, so I hurried them along as fast as I
could.
    Within about ten minutes, I was alone. I
closed down the cash register and headed for my office. I made sure
the back doors were locked.
    The cash office was upstairs right next to
Phil’s office, so I would grab my coat and lock the door before I
left. I went to pick up the package that was left for me, but it
was gone. Before that could alarm me, something else caught my
attention.
    I could smell smoke. I turned around and I
could see smoke coming from upstairs. Smoke was coming from
everywhere and in a matter of seconds, all I could see was smoke.
My eyes began to well with tears. I was totally disoriented. Trying
to find something to hold on to was practically impossible. I had
to get out. I was blind from the smoke. My lungs started to fill
and I began to cough. Through my watery eyes, all I could see was
the gray smoke engulfing me.
    That was the last thing I remembered.
     
     

Chapter 5
     
     
    When I woke up, there were two paramedics
standing over me. They sat me up and began asking me questions. I
wanted to know what was going on, and they were asking me
questions.
    “Do you know what day it is?” one of them
asked.
    “Do you know where you are?” asked the
other.
    “Yes, I’m fine. Can somebody tell me what’s
going on?” I asked as I tried to stand. I easily made it to my
feet, but when I tried to walk, I almost fell on my face. Luckily,
the paramedics were right there to catch me.
    “Just have a seat right here. Don’t try to
move. You’ve got a pretty nasty bump on your head,” said the
slightly balding pudgy paramedic with a stethoscope around his
neck.
    My head was throbbing. I placed my left hand
behind me to hold myself up and with my right I felt the huge bump
on the back of my head.
    What had happened, and why wasn’t anybody
telling me anything?
    A third paramedic walked into the office and
whispered something to the tall blond paramedic who was helping me
keep my balance. Through the open door, I could see scores of
policemen. I could hear cries coming from the lounge. The third man
left after a few nods and whispers. I couldn’t have imagined what
had happened.
    “What’s going on, guys?” I asked again.
    They exchanged blank stares silently
questioning who had the responsibility of explaining the situation
to me. Finally one of them answered, “I think the police should
tell you.”
    My head throbbed even more as I tried to
figure out what was going on and why wasn’t anyone telling me
anything. They hastily gathered their equipment, helped me up and
into Phil’s chair, and left me alone in the office.
    Through the office door window, I saw the two
paramedics that had been helping me, talking to an officer. The
short pudgy-faced officer broke from them and walked towards the
office.
    “You Michael Drake?” he asked as he walked
in.
    “Yes, officer. What’s going on here?”
    He looked me up and down for a second and
answered, “I’m Officer Green. Can you tell me anything about what
happened tonight?”
    “The last thing I remember I was walking in
here to get my coat. After that, everything is a blur until a few
minutes ago.”
    “There was a robbery.”
    “A robbery?” I