CHAPTER 38: CRISP AND FIRE

ISLA’S POV

“What!” I cried into the phone as the words of my manager floated into my ears.

The words.

Crisp.

Fire.

Destroyed.

“Can you hear me?” the manager asked, and I had to shake the glistening tears away from my eyes to get back into reality.

“Whatever you do, don’t look at the news,” came his response, and goosebumps engulfed my body.

“Everything will be under control, but I thought I would warn you first. Things are not looking rosy in the office right now, and your attention is heavily needed, but I can hold down my own just until you finish your leave. I can do damage control just until you come. Maybe it would have been a bit better if you came down last week? But I’ll handle everything, I promise,” he said.

I didn’t give him a chance to speak another word, and I ended the call for fear of the worst.

Damage control, he said.

What control could he possibly have for such a ghastly calamity?

Somehow, I knew this was my fault. If only I had gotten there last week, like he said.