Forever
This Broken CitySky
Now we both know that nothing is perfect right? Let's not get crazy here.
I walked into work that morning of September 11th, 2001. I set my coffee down on my desk and sat down with my sketches. The morning was beautiful, it was a clear sky and sunny out. I looked out of my window for a minute. I could see my fiance's building right across the way from mine. She worked on the thirty seventh floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center. It was about seven in the morning. Sometimes we meet for an early lunch about eleven, but my stomach was already growling. I called her cell to see if she was able to meet me for an early brunch. She picked up on the second ring.
"Hey. Why are you calling me now? You know I cannot talk." she whispered into the phone.
"I know, I'm sorry, I just thought maybe we could meet up for brunch or something."
"Okay yeah, that sounds good. Where at?"
"How about that new little bagel shop on 20th Street? Maybe at nine thirty? I have been wanting to try that place since it opened." I said.
"Sounds like a plan. I really have to go now. I love you." she continued to whisper.
"I love you too."
I put my phone down and continued to work on my sketches. By eight thirty I got up to use the restroom and then back to the small cafeteria to refill my coffee. I had to have coffee in the morning. It was the only thing that kept me going.
I went to sit back down and my desk. I sat my coffee down and decided to take a break and stretch my legs. I walked over to the windows and looked out. I was on the the twelth floor of my building, high enough to look down and the people on the street looking like tiny ants. I put my arms above my head and stretched. I yawned. I started to think that maybe Allie and I should elope or something. I don't know why, I just didn't want a big wedding. I know Allie didn't either. Maybe a little wedding with close friends and family would be nice though.
I was about to go back to my desk when something flew past the window. I had a double take, looking toward the direction it came, then back at the direction it went. I looked over and saw nothing in the air, but saw the North Tower had been hit. There was smoke, there was fire. I heard people in my office scream it was a plane. A plane? This low? There is no way. Why would a pilot fly so low? I looked back. This is not happening. No. This is not happening.
I ran.
I don't know what I was doing, but I just ran. I ran to the nearest elevator. Pressing the button over and over again as if that was going to help. I finally made it down to the bottom floor. I ran out of the building and looked up. There was a lot more smoke. I started to run again. As I ran, I grabbed my cell phone out of my pocket and called Allie. My heart started to race. Her voicemail picked up. Why isn't she answering? I saw very clearly this time, a second plane fly over my head and crash into the South Tower. The streets filled with screams. People were running in every direction. Some were screaming, some where pointing up at the Towers and covering thier mouths with their other hand, some were running and pushing. I felt sick. I though I was gonna lose all the coffee that I drank earlier that morning. I stopped to dial Allie's number again. I got her voicemail again.
"Dammit Allie, why aren't you picking your phone up?" I said aloud. I looked up. The sky above me was no longer blue. The smoke filled the sky. I swallowed hard, my throat feeling dry. I looked back up. I saw fire all over the South Tower and a little out of the North Tower.
I walked into work that morning of September 11th, 2001. I set my coffee down on my desk and sat down with my sketches. The morning was beautiful, it was a clear sky and sunny out. I looked out of my window for a minute. I could see my fiance's building right across the way from mine. She worked on the thirty seventh floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center. It was about seven in the morning. Sometimes we meet for an early lunch about eleven, but my stomach was already growling. I called her cell to see if she was able to meet me for an early brunch. She picked up on the second ring.
"Hey. Why are you calling me now? You know I cannot talk." she whispered into the phone.
"I know, I'm sorry, I just thought maybe we could meet up for brunch or something."
"Okay yeah, that sounds good. Where at?"
"How about that new little bagel shop on 20th Street? Maybe at nine thirty? I have been wanting to try that place since it opened." I said.
"Sounds like a plan. I really have to go now. I love you." she continued to whisper.
"I love you too."
I put my phone down and continued to work on my sketches. By eight thirty I got up to use the restroom and then back to the small cafeteria to refill my coffee. I had to have coffee in the morning. It was the only thing that kept me going.
I went to sit back down and my desk. I sat my coffee down and decided to take a break and stretch my legs. I walked over to the windows and looked out. I was on the the twelth floor of my building, high enough to look down and the people on the street looking like tiny ants. I put my arms above my head and stretched. I yawned. I started to think that maybe Allie and I should elope or something. I don't know why, I just didn't want a big wedding. I know Allie didn't either. Maybe a little wedding with close friends and family would be nice though.
I was about to go back to my desk when something flew past the window. I had a double take, looking toward the direction it came, then back at the direction it went. I looked over and saw nothing in the air, but saw the North Tower had been hit. There was smoke, there was fire. I heard people in my office scream it was a plane. A plane? This low? There is no way. Why would a pilot fly so low? I looked back. This is not happening. No. This is not happening.
I ran.
I don't know what I was doing, but I just ran. I ran to the nearest elevator. Pressing the button over and over again as if that was going to help. I finally made it down to the bottom floor. I ran out of the building and looked up. There was a lot more smoke. I started to run again. As I ran, I grabbed my cell phone out of my pocket and called Allie. My heart started to race. Her voicemail picked up. Why isn't she answering? I saw very clearly this time, a second plane fly over my head and crash into the South Tower. The streets filled with screams. People were running in every direction. Some were screaming, some where pointing up at the Towers and covering thier mouths with their other hand, some were running and pushing. I felt sick. I though I was gonna lose all the coffee that I drank earlier that morning. I stopped to dial Allie's number again. I got her voicemail again.
"Dammit Allie, why aren't you picking your phone up?" I said aloud. I looked up. The sky above me was no longer blue. The smoke filled the sky. I swallowed hard, my throat feeling dry. I looked back up. I saw fire all over the South Tower and a little out of the North Tower.