Quid Pro Quo

He grimaced.

"You know, I doubt we'll be getting out of here," Shawn said. He turned to the wind outside, dancing with swarms of glowing ash. The skyscrapers were crumbling beneath a sea of roaring flames.

"How'd the fire spread so fast anyway?" I leaned heavily against the wall. "I thought the buildings were all glass and metal."

Another blast, this time louder. I wiped the sweat from my brow.

"I think-" he stared at me square in the face "-I think its all the paper we use."

White-hot ash blew in still from the window, singeing the scattered trays of paper fluttering about on the floor like dead leaves.

"Shoot. The rest of the city won't stand a chance."