The Unnaturals Prequel - Cataclysm
You rise from bed and take a quick shower in cold water to rinse the sweat from the night before. Even at the lowest temperature your shower can muster, you find the heat just outside the stream to be nigh unbearable. You know that within minutes you will be sweating again, but at least you tried.
After toweling off and getting dressed, you prepare yourself for a walk to the start up engineering company you work for. It was established less than 10 years ago but has already made a name for itself, offering many commercial products that have helped make people’s lives more comfortable. Although you are also relatively new in the business, you have worked hard and risen through the ranks to at least have your own office, separated from the other employees, just how you like it.
Leaving the heavily conditioned air of your apartment, you make your way to the elevator that will descend 38 floors to the street below. As soon as you step into it, you feel as though you are actually in a convection oven. Sweat beads on your brow as you impatiently tap your foot and imagine yourself being slowly cooked.
The elevator finally lands on the bottom floor and the doors slide open with a soft ring. You feel sweet relief as you step off of the device that could probably cook an elephant within a few hours.
As you walk through the foyer, you see the doorman sitting behind his desk with his cap off, pressing a hankerchief to his forehead. He doesnt even have the energy to issue his typical greeting, simply nodding at you with exhausted eyes that look sunken in his glistening, golden face. You nod back politely as you mentally prepare yourself for what you know is coming outside these doors.
Despite knowing that it was going to be hot, you are taken aback immediately as the blazing sunlight touches your skin. It feels like you are instantly burning under its rays. You even gasp slightly as you step back within the shadow of the doorway.
Looking around, you notice that the normally bustling streets are completely empty. Its unsettling, as in the last 3 years you have lived here, you’ve never had a walk to work where you weren’t brushing elbows with dozens of people. The sunlight is painfully bright, reflecting off of the glass windows and even the lighter colored concrete.
You extend your hand out and try your best to hold it there. You are reminded of the time you grabbed a frying pan which, even though it had been off the burner for several minutes, was still hot enough to hurt. You recoil your hand and take a steadying breath.
1a) Should you try to tough your way through the inevitable sunburn and push on to work?
OR
1b) Should you call your workplace and request the day off? Surely it is unreasonable for them to expect you to endure this insane weather.
After toweling off and getting dressed, you prepare yourself for a walk to the start up engineering company you work for. It was established less than 10 years ago but has already made a name for itself, offering many commercial products that have helped make people’s lives more comfortable. Although you are also relatively new in the business, you have worked hard and risen through the ranks to at least have your own office, separated from the other employees, just how you like it.
Leaving the heavily conditioned air of your apartment, you make your way to the elevator that will descend 38 floors to the street below. As soon as you step into it, you feel as though you are actually in a convection oven. Sweat beads on your brow as you impatiently tap your foot and imagine yourself being slowly cooked.
The elevator finally lands on the bottom floor and the doors slide open with a soft ring. You feel sweet relief as you step off of the device that could probably cook an elephant within a few hours.
As you walk through the foyer, you see the doorman sitting behind his desk with his cap off, pressing a hankerchief to his forehead. He doesnt even have the energy to issue his typical greeting, simply nodding at you with exhausted eyes that look sunken in his glistening, golden face. You nod back politely as you mentally prepare yourself for what you know is coming outside these doors.
Despite knowing that it was going to be hot, you are taken aback immediately as the blazing sunlight touches your skin. It feels like you are instantly burning under its rays. You even gasp slightly as you step back within the shadow of the doorway.
Looking around, you notice that the normally bustling streets are completely empty. Its unsettling, as in the last 3 years you have lived here, you’ve never had a walk to work where you weren’t brushing elbows with dozens of people. The sunlight is painfully bright, reflecting off of the glass windows and even the lighter colored concrete.
You extend your hand out and try your best to hold it there. You are reminded of the time you grabbed a frying pan which, even though it had been off the burner for several minutes, was still hot enough to hurt. You recoil your hand and take a steadying breath.
1a) Should you try to tough your way through the inevitable sunburn and push on to work?
OR
1b) Should you call your workplace and request the day off? Surely it is unreasonable for them to expect you to endure this insane weather.