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BONKAS - CHAPTER 6

TESTING

Tuesday mornings. 11:00hrs.

Right back to memories of junior schooling, I didn’t see the purpose in being informed when the fire alarm would be tested.

I shared this with a former employer. Ever the opportunist, Mr Evan agreed that warning the staff of such tests was ridiculous. He suggested that I schedule the next one to coincide with a meeting he could do with leaving early the following Thursday. I did, and Mr Evan was pleased, or so he looked as he opened the door to his Bentley before speeding out of the company car park.

There are good reasons for some of those living in Treetops to be informed of the weekly system test.

For example, Stella Grey has autism and the sound of the fire alarm is distressing for her. If Stella knows when the alarm will sound, she can find her ear defenders. Freaking Stella out once a week is unnecessary and the last thing the staff at Treetops would want.

11:00hrs was chosen as the most suitable time. With the morning welfare checks carried out an hour before, staff could forewarn the residents.

Jason will be deep-sleeping. Staff will do their best to wake him but often with little success. Jason’s world is back to front. He will sleep through the fire alarm. Sleeping the better part of the day is a consequence of living in a virtual world through the night. Jason has a better understanding of the street layouts in New York, Chicago and San Francisco, than he does of his local streets. Jason’s extensive knowledge of cities other than his own comes from the world of Grand Theft Auto. The game provides Jason with a place that has become his sanctuary.

He is happier there. He understands the rules. He has gained a noteworthy status amongst his fellow gamers who are dotted about across the globe. His real identity is masked. In this world, Jason has no life skills. In the game, he completes objectives and his character becomes more enriched. The appeal of such an alternative to the real world is very appealing.

Sam won’t respond to the alarm, listing various reasons for not doing so, such as wearing his noise-cancelling headphones or that the alarm did not sound on the top floor. This lie should create a response of the system being tested again with a staff member on the top floor to ensure the alarm was sounded. This won’t happen as the staff consensus is Sam lies compulsively and putting everyone else through another test is unfair.

Abby’s response will be to leave her room, walk along the hallway, and then sit at the top of the staircase. Abby will always bring her old acoustic guitar, just in case.

Alan will be primed to respond after being informed, often popping his door open to look down the corridor. Between Alan and the main exit to the ‘assembly point’, two separate single fire doors are held open by a door-holding device that will release automatically.

The doors will start to close about ten seconds after a staff member has pushed a fire call point button. Call points are numbered so staff can create a weekly record of each one tested. Recording would also include whether the alarm is audible, whether the warning lights flashed in the bathrooms and whether the doors fitted with hold-open devices shut.

On the first instant of the alarm sounding, Alan will leap from his bed and grab his emergency foil blanket from the bedside cabinet drawer, before exiting his room.

Alan screams fire, fire, fire as he makes his way towards the first of the two closing doors between his feared death or hopeful escape. Alan won’t run as running is dangerous. He kind of Olympic speed-walks. This sees him safely through the first door before it closes behind him. Alan screams wanker at it and continues his way down the corridor, past the bathroom and laundry room towards door number two that separates him from the main lobby and freedom.

This door is too far closed for Alan to squeeze through by the time he reaches it. This is an ongoing problem. Alan is now between two closed doors and unable to open them. His anxiety won’t let him. The fire could be on the other side of the door. Alan is now trapped! By both the doors and by his mind.

Matthew will not respond to the alarm. This fits his narrative.

Charles Winter’s response is to ignore it at first. If it continues, he might respond differently. This will depend on how close the alarm goes off to payday. Payday means the day he receives £1,300 of various benefit awards. Charles does like to go on a Class A bender the first few days after payday.

The remaining occupants of Treetops are Wayne and Lacey.

Wayne’s time is mostly spent in front of his lap-top screen, writing computer code. Coding had been an interest up until the late nineties, from the noughties onward that intensified, then a couple of years ago it became an illness.

Lacey is going to be intoxicated at morning welfare checks. Whether already awake or woken by staff, she will be drunk. Informing Lacey about the alarm test will trigger her to lash out verbally. Not telling her is going to result in the same outcome. Just an hour later. Hopefully, she’ll be out, for the sake of all in earshot.

Staff will do their best to complete the weekly system test, causing the least disruption possible.

It was the six-monthly fire drill when the fun started.