Anonymous
Guest
Raymond stood at a window that overlooked the Providence River, in the distance, smoke billowed over the burning skyline of downtown Providence. He stood there, taking in the sights, not sure where to move.
"We're back on in 5 Mr. McCormick." Said a voice in the back. Sarah, the station's intern was also stranded at the studio. Following the mandatory curfew. The entire station was on edge, especially Raymond. He has been unable to get into contact with his wife following the mobile phone outage. In fact, it was very hard to receive tips at the moment, thus the station resorted to running reruns every so often so the crew could take a break with what limited staff were available.
Raymond took a step back from the window, still lost in thought and worry. "Thanks... Sarah.." Sarah stepped out of the room as Raymond caught a glimpse of her exhausted eyes, though Ray wasn't fairing much better, having not slept in 32 hours. How could anyone sleep through this?
Raymond stepped to the bathroom and looked in the mirror, before proceeding to splash some water on his face to make his tired state less apparent, before proceeding to fix his suit and glasses.
He left the restroom, taking a few steps over to the newsroom, which was buzzing with activity. Still not as much, considering that many members of the staff fled the studio get home, those who were left either felt it was their duty to continue broadcasting, obey the laws, or simply because they didn't have anywhere else to be. The lonely, the determined, and the desperate.
Raymond called to Cheryl, his producer who was sitting at her desk trying to get a phone call out. "Any thing from Triple-N!?"
Cheryl proceeded to look up from her desk, before shouting back "Internet is still down. Cable signal is muddy! Anchor mentioned losing contact with their New York studio! They know nothing more than we do." Cheryl proceeded to try to get a call out in vein.
Raymond proceeded to sit at his side of the desk, next to his co-anchor, Rachael.
"How are you holding up?" Raymond asks as she was fiddling with her makeup. It was clear she hasn't been sleeping either.
Rachael pauses for a moment, before putting her bushes down and closing her mirror. "Can't reach my partner." she shook her head and leaned in on the desk, face in her hand. "Haven't been able to reach her all day. I'm fucking worried Ray."
Raymond remained silent for a moment, before Raymond responded "Sorry... Ray... That was a bit insensitive. I know you just had your daughter..."
Raymond interjects "No... you're fine Rachael, it's just.. you have ever right to be as worried as I am." This was interrupted by a shout in the back "We're on air in 30!" Cheryl shouted.
"You got the teleprompter ready?" Raymond shouted. "Yeah!" A man responded. He was David, who usually handled camera operation, though, his duties expanded to cover those absent.
"10...9...8...7..."
Raymond fidgeted a bit, before fiddling with his tie.
"4...3...2...."
Raymond gulped as the teleprompter started rolling.
"This is 12 News Now, Coverage You Can Count On. I'm Ray McCormick" Raymond said
"And I'm Rachael Donovan." His Co-Anchor said as their names flashed before them on the feed.
Raymond started speaking again. "We have some breaking news. Multiple fires have been spotted in Downtown Providence... and we here at 12 News are unsure when they started, if they're under control or even if there are emergency crews on scene. We have received no information over the past 8 hours from the City of Providence, or the Police, or the Fire Department. The only way we even know what is happening is that we can see out our windows at the station."
Cheryl proceeded to whisper something into Raymond's earpiece.
"I'm being told we're going to be taken to Skycam 12. Do we have the feed?" Raymond asks
On the live feed, the image of Raymond and Rachael at the news desk was replaced by the Stations camera, pointed directly at a burning Providence skyline.
"My god." Rachael muttered, getting caught in with the microphone.
Raymond proceeded to take a deep breath while the cameras were off him, before starting again. "PPD's Message to Residents? Shelter in place. In fact this has been their last message communicated to the public, and several of us here at 12 News have had to spend the night at the studio."
The camera switches back to the newsdesk.
Rachael begins to speak. "No news from the White House this evening, except a confirmation by Triple-N that the President is 'safe'. 12 News has been unable to get into contact with any of our affiliate stations."
Raymond starts speaking again. "We here at 12 News are unsure of when we'll be forced to go off air. We hope this does not happen, however, with the way things are going, there might be a major utility shut off soon, and we want our views to be prepared.
Rachael takes back over. Her voice shaking. "We have confirmed we have enough fuel to last the station 72 hours on 'low power mode.' During this time, preparations will be made to prepare the studio for the event that we might be off air for weeks, or even months. In that case, the station will read as 'off air' after we sign off. We recommend you keep a hand crank radio in order to receive important news and information."
Raymond still keeps on his stoic facade. "Now, we once again recommend you follow recommendations from the CDC to avoid Oculurubrus infection...."
"We're back on in 5 Mr. McCormick." Said a voice in the back. Sarah, the station's intern was also stranded at the studio. Following the mandatory curfew. The entire station was on edge, especially Raymond. He has been unable to get into contact with his wife following the mobile phone outage. In fact, it was very hard to receive tips at the moment, thus the station resorted to running reruns every so often so the crew could take a break with what limited staff were available.
Raymond took a step back from the window, still lost in thought and worry. "Thanks... Sarah.." Sarah stepped out of the room as Raymond caught a glimpse of her exhausted eyes, though Ray wasn't fairing much better, having not slept in 32 hours. How could anyone sleep through this?
Raymond stepped to the bathroom and looked in the mirror, before proceeding to splash some water on his face to make his tired state less apparent, before proceeding to fix his suit and glasses.
He left the restroom, taking a few steps over to the newsroom, which was buzzing with activity. Still not as much, considering that many members of the staff fled the studio get home, those who were left either felt it was their duty to continue broadcasting, obey the laws, or simply because they didn't have anywhere else to be. The lonely, the determined, and the desperate.
Raymond called to Cheryl, his producer who was sitting at her desk trying to get a phone call out. "Any thing from Triple-N!?"
Cheryl proceeded to look up from her desk, before shouting back "Internet is still down. Cable signal is muddy! Anchor mentioned losing contact with their New York studio! They know nothing more than we do." Cheryl proceeded to try to get a call out in vein.
Raymond proceeded to sit at his side of the desk, next to his co-anchor, Rachael.
"How are you holding up?" Raymond asks as she was fiddling with her makeup. It was clear she hasn't been sleeping either.
Rachael pauses for a moment, before putting her bushes down and closing her mirror. "Can't reach my partner." she shook her head and leaned in on the desk, face in her hand. "Haven't been able to reach her all day. I'm fucking worried Ray."
Raymond remained silent for a moment, before Raymond responded "Sorry... Ray... That was a bit insensitive. I know you just had your daughter..."
Raymond interjects "No... you're fine Rachael, it's just.. you have ever right to be as worried as I am." This was interrupted by a shout in the back "We're on air in 30!" Cheryl shouted.
"You got the teleprompter ready?" Raymond shouted. "Yeah!" A man responded. He was David, who usually handled camera operation, though, his duties expanded to cover those absent.
"10...9...8...7..."
Raymond fidgeted a bit, before fiddling with his tie.
"4...3...2...."
Raymond gulped as the teleprompter started rolling.
"This is 12 News Now, Coverage You Can Count On. I'm Ray McCormick" Raymond said
"And I'm Rachael Donovan." His Co-Anchor said as their names flashed before them on the feed.
Raymond started speaking again. "We have some breaking news. Multiple fires have been spotted in Downtown Providence... and we here at 12 News are unsure when they started, if they're under control or even if there are emergency crews on scene. We have received no information over the past 8 hours from the City of Providence, or the Police, or the Fire Department. The only way we even know what is happening is that we can see out our windows at the station."
Cheryl proceeded to whisper something into Raymond's earpiece.
"I'm being told we're going to be taken to Skycam 12. Do we have the feed?" Raymond asks
On the live feed, the image of Raymond and Rachael at the news desk was replaced by the Stations camera, pointed directly at a burning Providence skyline.
"My god." Rachael muttered, getting caught in with the microphone.
Raymond proceeded to take a deep breath while the cameras were off him, before starting again. "PPD's Message to Residents? Shelter in place. In fact this has been their last message communicated to the public, and several of us here at 12 News have had to spend the night at the studio."
The camera switches back to the newsdesk.
Rachael begins to speak. "No news from the White House this evening, except a confirmation by Triple-N that the President is 'safe'. 12 News has been unable to get into contact with any of our affiliate stations."
Raymond starts speaking again. "We here at 12 News are unsure of when we'll be forced to go off air. We hope this does not happen, however, with the way things are going, there might be a major utility shut off soon, and we want our views to be prepared.
Rachael takes back over. Her voice shaking. "We have confirmed we have enough fuel to last the station 72 hours on 'low power mode.' During this time, preparations will be made to prepare the studio for the event that we might be off air for weeks, or even months. In that case, the station will read as 'off air' after we sign off. We recommend you keep a hand crank radio in order to receive important news and information."
Raymond still keeps on his stoic facade. "Now, we once again recommend you follow recommendations from the CDC to avoid Oculurubrus infection...."
To Be Continued