Tempest

Part 2 - Rain Deluge

Madeleine's phone buzzed around in his hand, and Espresso's once again did the same on the desk, only with much more loud obnoxious blaring. He quickly flicked on the screen and breezed over the words on this new emergency alert.

Emergency alert
This is an Upper City emergency alert. Within city borders has been issued a flood warning for everyone including those on high ground. Floods are reaching dangerous levels in the area. Everyone in this area must evacuate via boat to any areas unaffected by the flooding. Take your pets and important documents, do not take the time to collect valuables.

Madeleine stood from where he sat and quickly took his sword and shield, which were resting against the wall, in hand. He was only just about to make it out the door when he realized he hadn't heard Espresso do the same. He turned to see his friend still writing. "What are you doing? Get your stuff, let's go." He said desperately.

"This is ridiculous, I'm not leaving this work for a scare." Espresso spat back frustratingly, his eyes not leaving his paper.

Madeleine took his friend's hand and made an attempt to urge the small man out of his seat. "This is not ridiculous, this is real. There's no way your work is worth more than risking your life!" Although the scientist didn't move, only retreated his hand defensively.

"This-" Espresso motioned towards the pile of papers at the edge of his desk. "-is my research written on the soul jams. Who else has had that opportunity? Nobody. I can't risk these papers getting ruined."

"Just put them in a bag, let's go." Madeleine pressed, his foot tapping nervously against the ground. Rain pattered harder and harder against the window, wind going so fast the water droplets now fell nearly vertical. He could almost hear the water rising, even if it wasn't really doing so.

Espresso's tone was much too calm for the situation. "Just leave without me." He said simply.

"What?" Madeleine looked taken aback. "No! I'm not leaving without you!" An impatient pause. "But I'm leaving with you. Hurry up."

Finally Espresso rolled his eyes after a very brief moment of consideration and stood, grabbing a bag and carefully putting the papers on his desk in it. "This is ridiculous." He muttered to himself while Madeleine stood with his foot tapping quickly. "The elders are overreacting."

Although his friend seemed to be taking much more time than it felt like they had, Madeleine didn't say anything to rush him on. Only stood there, and once it looked like all the papers were placed in the bag, he grabbed it and opened the door to the hallway, letting Espresso lead first. He shut the door tightly and followed his friend to the elevator.

Espresso pressed the button, but no regular bell ring noise was made to signify the elevator receiving the message. He pressed it again, and still, nothing. "The stairs." He said simply, and the two continued down the hall with one having a little more urgency in his step than the other. Flinging open the door to the stairway, Madeleine took the lead now and descended first, holding his sword and shield tightly each in a hand with almost no struggle despite their weight. He stopped, just above the staircase that would lead to the bottom floor, and from what Espresso could see, was just staring downward. Finally Espresso turned the corner to the bottom staircase and stopped too.

It was flooded. Not like on the ground flooded, but more like reaching the roof flooded. Water stood perfectly still above the 12th step, until it just touched the platform which divided the two staircases. Madeleine took an uneasy step backwards, staring down at the greenish water which blocked their way. The fluorescent light shining brightly above them stung his eyes and only helped a growing migraine. His heart jackhammered inside his chest, his head pounding in sync with every heartbeat. There was no way the water had already gotten this high. That wasn't possible. How could it be? The flood had only started just more than an hour ago. Not much earlier that day Madeleine was standing outside the Institute of Thaumaturgy with Espresso staring up at the sky, commenting on the strange weather. This wasn't possible. And there would be no way he could swim. Firstly, his precious armour would drag him to drown, and he wouldn't be able to take his sword and shield with him, which were, undoubtedly, two of the most important things in his life. Secondly, there would be no possible way to keep Espresso's papers safe from the water. So, then what?