Final moments

> Act IV - Drastic

The rain drops, still collapsing down outside, in the windows, growing relentless.
They moved forwards, Dan trying to poise his trembling chin and grinding teeth, while Gip began stammering a few words to help them both keep comfortable:
- My grandma always wisely says, "we ourselves are our own light to illuminate the dimness in our own lives". - he took his hand inside the waistcoat - thank goodness, that nifty bike of yours is equipped with a flashlight. Nothing less is to be expected of a mythical sports bike.

With a sort of magical gesture, he drew out a compact black cylinder, and used it to pave the their way in the room with a beam of light. The lobby was in complete disarray, having torn papers and shelves, data CD's and wet folders strewn all over the floor. Drawers were torn out of their bookshelves everywhere.
The counter itself, belonging to an inexistent secretary, was very much wrecked, with remnants of plants and vases lying over it, besides office papers and pens.
- What a mess! Somebody was here before us....
- Someone.... not very pleasant. By the way, nice thinking of you; I'm not that unprepared, though - asserted Dan displaying the army green coloured camping flashlight he had used earlier.
- Why not....?- was the shrugged answer.

Having said that, Gip stepped over to the electrical installation placed on a wall to the right. After tampering with the wires for a few seconds, he stated his diagnosis:
- The system seems wasted. Looks like it hasn't any grounding masses.
Their flashlights lighted the route in front of them: large stairs leading to the second level.
- It doesn't look good..... perhaps it'd be really best to double back... in this darkness we're sitting ducks....
- ....in an ambush. You're right. - whispered Gip in return.

Contemplating the quiet scenery for some minutes left them weary.
Suddenly, a massive green flash, a ray of light having great intensity, came from outside, behind their backs, and spread through the whole room blinding them for some time, that seemed an eternity.
In panic, they ran up the stairs and away from the menace that came without any warning. Stumbling upon the degrees and then knocking against random furniture that kept appearing the tried to distance themselves as much as their sight allowed them.

Dan felt his fear swallowing him up, in unseen proportions.
What was that?
It was clearly impossible now to go back. Out of the blue, Dan went against a table and fell to the ground, hurting his knee. Finally, then, he dared to open his eyes. Dark. Quiet. But his sight was OK, as he tried to attune it to follow anything. Turning his flashlight around, he noticed that he was alone.
Gip wasn't there. "But.... I know he was running alongside with me... What the hell!! He took another turn". He picked himself up, disconcerted.

He was in a hall with acetate papers thrown everywhere. The doors seemed of office rooms. At his left, though, there were double doors indicating the entrance to what was probably a test room. Dan cautiously pointed the flashlight through the round windows. He could see some, motionless, of those subjects used so coldly: chimpanzees, several types of rodents, small boars, infant deers..... Revolting.
The double doors gave in, exuding a pestilent aseptic scent. An intense smell of..... alcohol penetrated Dan's nostrils as he stepped inside. Such a peculiar farm room; he picked up one of the logs splattered on the floor, documenting more jargon to him. «Unpredictable behaviour patterns noted; The excess in lymphatic liquid proceeding from medulla oblongata pressure above maximum admissible»

Perhaps the best thing to do now would be to find Gip: his comrade had disappeared and that fact was turning itself in such a creepy thought.
Out of nowhere, the floor began shaking, like in an earthquake.
Barely managing to stand, he tried to find a safe stop, while chunks of the cement started falling an the ceiling giving in. Quick, he should place himself under a doorstep. And hope. As it was as if the building was on the brim of collapse. Turning left and passing across another hall, he was maybe heading towards the rear part of the building, which looked like it was in risk of going down whole such was the violence of the shake. His flashlight was waving in every single direction, its light scavenging the doors, walls, the equipment. Pieces of ceiling crashing on the floor.

Then he eventually got to see the sign: Emergency stairs. He went in that direction and then forced the door to open. Then he stayed there waiting for the quake to diminish itself. All sorts of things lying of the ground, fallen from the shelves were visible.
Presentation papers, marketing charts and reports, and selling intentions. He remembered the last news of earthquakes he had seen: people running by the seaside showing concern, huge amounts of rubble, chaos and despair, lots of people. For him, it was the first shake he witnessed personally. It was horrible.

Dan called for Gip, without raising his voice. His voice had gone hoarse, him without the power to control it...
Where the heck was Gip? Where had he gone?
At that point, Dan heard, coming from downstairs, an agonizing shout. Dan's first instinct was to run away..... That scream, however somehow seemed familiar.
He bolted in the direction of the danger, jumping over debris and dodging around junk.