I quickly make my way out of the crowd and look for the nearest ladies’ room. I enter there without hesitation. I’m grateful that there’s nobody around, so I can do my business without care in the world.

I try my hardest to clean up my dress, murmuring something to myself as I do it.

“Oh, gosh! Can’t it be removed?” I use a piece of tissue paper that I wetted with water. It is very ineffective, I realize.

I look at myself in the mirror, disappointed. I try to think what to do next. The stain is still visible. It’s really a big mess. I decide to try and put some water directly onto my dress when the door bursts open and a security team of three tall and lean men appears behind me. They are reflected in the big mirror. All three of them look like they are in their late twenties or early thirties.

“Oh, fuck! What are you doing here?” I demand, turning around to look them in the eye, not in the mirror.

“We should ask you the same question. Didn’t you hear the alarm? Everyone should be out of the building right now!” the first man with dark brown hair and startling blue eyes declares with annoyance. His nostrils slightly flare, and his lips are pursed.

“What? Why?” I ask anxiously. I suddenly feel afraid of what might be happening outside without my knowledge. I wonder what it is. Hostage crisis or is it fire or what? Because that will be so bad!

“Come on, ma’am. Let’s get you out of here,” the second man who looks like a Latino suggests with a clipped tone. He has brown eyes and brown skin.

So even though I haven’t finished with my goal at the bathroom, I let them usher me out. But when we are outside, the alarm is not blaring anymore, and we all realize that the entire building is now empty. There are only a few lights left on, which mean something is not good. Not really good.

“Great! Nobody is allowed to go in or out now,” the third man who’s black says with exasperation. His hands gesture in the air helplessly.

I look at the three of them, confused of what’s going on.

“Someone has called in a bomb threat that’s why the building is evacuated,” the black man fills me in.

“Do you understand? Have you just realized how dangerous this is?” the Latino adds.

“We don’t have a choice, Luke,” the black private bodyguard of the casino says, turning to the first man.

Luke sighs, looking at his two colleagues. “We have to look for the bomb ourselves,” he decides.

“What?” I exclaim, with eyes going round.

“We don’t have a choice. The building is in lockdown,” the Latino guy informs me.

“Gabriel is right. It’s on us now,” Luke agrees. Then, he turns to the black guy. “Micah, you call it in. We’ll look for the bomb instead since we’re here. We’re not going anywhere anyway.”

The black guy does as he’s told. It seems that Luke is the one with the high rank among the three. Clearly, the three give me an upset look. It’s very obvious they’re blaming me for not hearing the alarm, making them fetch me. Well, it’s not really my fault. Why haven’t they installed an alarm system in the bathroom in the first place? That way, it will be heard inside as well. Or, there is one but it didn’t shrill for some reason. Could be broken or something.

I roll my eyes and ignore the three good-looking bodyguards. I walk with them as they look for the possible place wherein the bomb is placed. Every nook and crook is checked by the use of their handheld gadget.

I lean against a wall as I observe them scattered in the huge area of the casino, looking for the effing bomb! I feel edgy deep inside but I try to be composed.

Luke takes a glimpse of me, maybe checking what I’m doing, before he continues to work.

I get bored for a minute and walk with my hands on my hips. If there’s a bomb, maybe it has already gone off with our bodies in ugly pieces by now! I think there was just a threat or it was just a prank.

My creamy left leg is exposed whenever I take a step. I catch Micah and Gabriel glancing in my direction, their eyes on the lower part of my body. I give them a sly smile before I turn around and decide to rest by leaning against the wall again.

Later on, the three divided themselves floor by floor to be much faster at checking where the bomb can possibly be. I tell them I’ll be just right at the casino and wait for them. My high-heeled shoes are killing my feet, I complain to them.

“Okay,” Gabriel readily agrees, glancing again at my exposed left leg as I sit on a high stool.

Micah and Gabriel leave to go to the upper floors. I look around and suddenly feel the eerie air of the empty casino. So I call on Luke before he can leave me completely alone.

“What?” he asks with annoyance.

“I-if there’s really a bomb, maybe… maybe I shouldn’t be alone. I don’t want to die alone, you know?” I stammer and sigh.

He chuckles while his eyes give me a once over. “Let’s hope that won’t happen. It’ll be a huge waste.”

I give him a little shaky smile. I take off my shoes and carry them instead as I follow Luke around. I hear the three communicate once in a while, reporting to each other the status of each floor search.

“You don’t really think there’s a bomb here, do you?” I try to confirm.