17. A tower of flame
At first I thought the world had come to an end. The almighty explosion ripped through the night air. A tower of flames and masonry dust went flying skyward, as bricks hurtled through the darkness. I flung myself to the floor. For a second it was almost as light as day. I shut my eyes and clasped my hands over my head for protection. When I opened my eyes again, the darkness had resumed. In front of me was a mess of brick and iron. I surveyed the scene with awe. What the devil had happened? The twisted girders reached up to the moon like arms calling out for mercy, while fluttering down from the night sky came hundreds of scraps of charred paper. A piece fell just in front of my face, close enough for me to read the Able and Hudson letterhead. A column of smoke began
