The Stairs of DEATH or D'Nell the Ditz

It was a normal Saturday morning during Open Enrollment season, and I found myself at work. Because the workload this time of year when I got to work I didn't read my email (I was at an all day meeting on Friday so didn't read that email either) and just started on the 6 inch pile of papers in front of me. I was alone and had the music turned up...life was good.

Two hours later I hear what sounds like a walkie-talkie, I thought nothing of it. The security guards usually make their rounds a couple of times. But the noise persisted. I turned down the music only to hear:

"ATTENTION! ATTENTION! There has been an emergency reported in the building. Please exit the building using the stairs as quickly as possible. Do not use the elevator!!"

My heart started to race. I quickly finished what I was doing and grabbed my purse and coat and headed for the stairs. (side note:My office is located on the 10th floor.) I preceded down the stairs. On the 7th floor the stairs stopped and you had to go down a hallway. I wasn't concerned. Office's start on the 7th floor and go up, the parking garage is floors 1-6 (they are tearing the parking out...). Anyway, at the end of the hallway was another set of stairs. Another 2 flights and the stairs were blocked by a makeshift wall and I was forced to go down another hallway. This one looked creepy and like it was put together at the last minute. In some areas the walls were crooked and you could see out the the DESTRUCTION zone below. My heart starts beating a little faster and I am starting to feel the anxiety rise.

After the "creepy" hallway was a door. It opened into what I affectionately call the "STAIRS OF DEATH". They were metal stairs held together with pipes. The stairs are covered in a white tarp material, but were wet. I paused thinking if it would be worse to die in the building or on these stairs. (For those of you who don't know...I am super super scared of heights SUPER SCARED). I decide I will be brave and chance the stairs. I step on too them and the structure shakes and the metal gives slightly below my feet. I hold on too the cold railing and proceed down praying they hold and I don't die in a pile of metal. The whole way my heart is beating so fast and loud and anxiety has started to morph into panic.

After what seemed like an eternity, I make it to the bottom and go through the door the puts me out in front of the normal entrance to the building. I look around and see only a lady coming out of the building...from the elevators. I stop and ask if she knows what is going on, and this is her reply.

"Oh, they sent an email out yesterday that they would be testing the fire alarms this morning."

WHAT!?! A feeling of being a complete idiot washes over me. I thank her and take the elevator to the 10th floor. When I get back to my desk, my co-worker is there and starts laughing as I tell her of my mistake. While I did feel like an idiot, the experience provided much in the way of humor for me and my co-workers all week! Including a field trip so they could experience the stairs of death for themselves. Enjoy the pictures below.

p.s. the last pictures are of my building and the destruction going on...kind of creepy, but we have been assured it is still a safe place to work!