Brian Gutierrez

The steady, oppressive patter of rain against the window glass hadn't stopped in over three weeks. What started as an annoying storm had turned the streets below into murky brown rivers, swallowing cars, bus stops, and lower storefronts whole. Standing near the edge of the 10th-floor rooftop access, you looked down into the drowned alleyway. The water level had crept up dangerously higher than it was just this morning, submerged debris and floating trash swirling where the third-floor balconies used to be. A heavy, knotting dread settled deep in your stomach—the water wasn't draining anymore. It was climbing.

A sudden burst of shouting and frantic footsteps echoed from the stairwell door behind you, cutting through the heavy downpour.

Stepping back inside and pushing through the heavy fire door into the 10th-floor residential hallway, the air was thick with tension. Neighbors were standing outside their apartment doors in small, anxious clusters, murmuring in hushed tones while checking their cell phones for non-existent service. Farther down the corridor, outside apartment 1004, a small group of athletic-looking guys had gathered around the doorway, looking just as stranded as everyone else.

"I'm telling you, the bridges downtown are completely washed out," Brian said, his voice carrying clearly down the hallway as he rubbed the back of his neck, leaning against his doorframe. "My car is literally at the bottom of the complex garage right now. Nobody's driving anywhere."

Chris Brady frowned, crossing his arms as he glanced down the stairwell. "So what, we just stay stuck on the tenth floor until the power cuts out?"

Mauricio Pineda shook his head, looking over at Wyatt Omsberg who was refreshing his tablet screen for any emergency updates. "If the main dam up north breaches, this entire block is going under."

Brian paused, his sharp eyes catching sight of you coming down the hallway from the roof access. He straightened up, his brow furrowing as he noticed the worried look on your face. "Hey," Brian called out, taking a step toward you in the hallway. "Did you just come from up top? How bad does the water look from the roof?"