The Fallen of Zero Niner

The event of the fallen zero niner (September)

The Fallen of Zero Niner

“This is Kcal news and we have some breaking news. At exactly 2:50pm in Boston, New York, there was a bombing among the Marathon crowd. It is confirmed that in the scene so far 40 injuries and 2 facilities.”

Again?

“There has been a third bombing at the John F. Kennedy library and it has not been confirmed as being related to those at the marathon, but authorities have said they are treating it as if it is related.”

I stared back at the plasma screen watching the video scenes.

            People scattered on the ground paralyzed. It’s like they can’t seem to believe or accept that this has happened to them. They may be thinking ‘What’s happening? Why?’ or ‘Are my family alright? My husband/wife? Friends?’ Among the other side of the scenery the crowds are gaping in shock. Paralyzed, running away or running to help and find a relative/friend.

Desperate.

That word is so familiar in so many ways in my life. My condolences to those who experienced or lost a family/friend member.

“Jacqueline?”

I turned away from the screen to my sister.

She sighed. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” I slightly smiled, although my heart said otherwise.

Feeling a small hand grab onto mine, I looked down and saw my nephew smiled up to me.

“Auntie, let’s play basketball,” he cheerfully smiled, as he held onto his basketball.

I smiled. “Okay, let me just turn off the T.V.”

He jumped joyfully and ran outside to the parking lot.

Grabbing the remote control, I turned off the plasma television and sighed.

Nodding, I held onto the tires of my wheelchair and headed off to the porch towards the sunlight.

……………………………………

It is exactly 8:25am and I have to get these files ready before the meeting.

Typing the documents to the computer, I hear the telephone ring.

Staring at the phone indicator it flashed on Mr. Kepler, the vice president, my boss.

I huffed before I answered. “Yes, Mr. Kepler. How may I help you?”

“Ms. Monroe, can you bring me a mug of coffee, please,” he said.

“Yes, sir.”

“Oh, and let it be soft on the sugar,” he quickly said.

“Definitely, sir. Would you like a few cookies at the side?”

“No, thank you. That’s all.”

“Then, I’ll be right there shortly.”

Hanging up the phone, I got up and walked towards the lounge.

            As the coffee was always ready I took out Mr. Kepler’s mug and poured coffee in it. While pouring, my eyes gazed out the huge glass window. It is a beautiful morning and looking down at the usual traffic in New York, it was pact as always.

            I was about to lay down the coffee pot when out of the corner of my eye, I saw something unusual. An American Airline Boeing 767 aircraft seemed too close at the speed of 443 knots per mile, towards the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Still holding onto the coffee pot and mug, I walked up to the window for a closer look, afraid that I was just hallucinating things.

            From the other side of the tower, I observed how the people ran, pushed, screamed, while others stood their paralyzed, not knowing what to do at a situation like this. Staring back at the aircraft, it was no longer a mile away, but a few kilometers.

My eyes went wide in terror, causing me to inhale a very deep breath and yell with all my might to them. “RUN!”

            At that instant, the aircraft crashed into the North tower. Through that process I lost grip of the mug and coffee pot, causing it to fall and break on the ground. Splashing coffee all on my leggings, brought a tremendous heat burn on my skin, yet it was nothing compared to the scene I was staring at.

The aircraft burst into flames, perishing the people inside and outside the building.

            The explosion blinded my vision that I had to use my arm to cover my eyes. When I was able to see once again, I gaped at such horrific view. The North Tower was puffing huge amounts of black smoke and blazing bright yellow fire. Those I yelled to run burned into ashes.

Afraid what would come next I stepped back and didn’t see a chair was in the way causing me to fall on my buttocks.

I breathed heavily as my eyes never left the crash scene.

My neighbors, friends, and companions were on that building.

All I could hear were screams, chairs being dropped to the ground, running footsteps, fire engine’s crying from the background, yet I’m still here sitting and feeling useless at the same time.

What can I do?

            Nothing. I am just a civilian who can barely move a muscle at such a crisis like this. A civilian who just shut herself in her own world, leaving the politic decisions on someone else’s hands. Putting all faith on them and for what? So that this can happen to them? To us?

Unable to capacitate, I was able to indicate another aircraft, the United Airline Boeing 767, coming our way. From the looks of it the aircraft seemed like it was going in the angle of an estimate of 198 degree towards the opposite side of the South Tower building at a lower approach.

            At that I didn’t hesitate to run out of the lounge room. As far as my eyes could see, the aircraft was going at a much more tremendous speed than the last aircraft, which at this point the second aircraft was going at a 586 knots per mile; therefore, the elevator would be the least safest, since everyone were desperately pushing themselves to get in the elevator, which at this point is exceeding the weight load of 2,500 pounds. The stairs is a starter, yet I’m not so sure if I could make it in time out of the aircraft’s impact.      

            Running passed the terrified crowd; I took off my heels and headed towards the door to the stairs. I opened it and saw a businessman run passed me up the stairs.

“Jacqueline!” someone held my hand forcefully.

Facing back, I saw it was Martha, one of the co-workers.

“Where are you going?”

Dropping my heels to the ground I gazed back at the businessman who kept running up the stairs.

“Up.”

……………………………………

“BOOM!”

            The whole building shook as if an earthquake was occurring at this instant. The indication that the aircraft has made its way inside the building.

Holding onto the handrails, I waited for the movement to pass.

            My arms wobbled on the handrails and I instantly felt like my whole world was spinning, as my eardrums became unbearable with the noise of a constant beeping.

Beeeeeeeeeeee!

Laying one hand to my ear I flinched, waiting for the moment to pass.

            When I was able to get ahold of myself, I stared down the stairs and saw that six stories away, the stairway were gone bringing the dark smoke to rise up the tower towards us. We just started running up the stairs two minutes ago and if we started any later we could have been there, dead.

Martha sobbed hysterically. “I’m dead. I’m dead for sure!”

Leaning down, I held onto her shoulders firmly as I stared into her brown eyes. “Martha get a hold of yourself. We can still make it. We have to keep moving.”

She hesitated. “I can’t. I’m….sc….scared.”

I have to be strong. I can’t let her see me break down, not now.

I took in a deep breath and sighed. “Trust me on this Martha. It’s better to try than not.”

Still shacking in fear, she finally nodded.

            Starting up the stairs I can see the businessman was still waiting for us. Although we never asked him to wait on us, I knew he didn’t want to be left alone in this as much as we didn’t want to be left here alone to die.

            Nodding back at him, we ran up the stairs once again. Twenty floors left to run at the top of the tower. Sweat ran down our chests, as the pain on our joints felt like knives’ pierced on our skin. There was once in a while we had to lean on the walls to let a few obstacles fall passed us from high above so that none would hit or kill us. After that has passed we kept running up, without stopping.

            While I ran up the stairs, all I can think of was the life I never had. All my dedication in school and work has left me little joy to make a family of my own. At the age of thirty-one I lost hope of ever finding the right man of my dreams. Since my search of a better man was put to a stop, I have closed myself in my own office throughout my whole career and personal life. Right now my main focus is not to lay eyes on the first man I encounter, but to survive this tragedy so I can live to tell this event.

After a long period of silence the businessman finally spoke breathlessly. “We have to reach the top. Helicopters might be at the top.”

I hesitated. “They won’t risk the chance to add in more weight on the tower than it already is. I suggest….”

We all coughed form the smoke that was reaching towards our nostrils.

“I suggest we stay at the exact level. Not any higher or lower.”

The businessman yelled back. “Are you crazy? The higher the better!”

“The higher the harder the impact,” I argued.

He shook his head. “I’m not going to carry all that weight on me. You’re on your own on that.”

Martha panicked. “Don’t leave us!”

The man stopped his pace for a while to look back at Martha. “You can either come along or stay here with your friend; nonetheless, I’m not going to stay to see my life pass through.”

Martha who held onto my hand throughout the running process up the stairs, finally let go of my hand.

It took all my courage to look into her eyes. “If that’s what you decided than go ahead.”

Her eyes twinkled with tears rolling down her cheeks. “See you at the other side.”

Confused, she finally let go and ran up the stairs behind the man without giving me a chance to ask what she meant by ‘seeing me at the other side.’

While they ran up the stairs, I walked up. Just a few more stairs and I’m set for the fall.

Level 94.

Level 95.

Level 96.

Level 97.

Just right.

I ran straight towards the exit since the smoke was finally stinging my eyes harshly. Coughing my way inside the 97^th floor I closed the door right behind me and rubbed my face on my blouse to get the ash out of my face and eyes. When I was sure I could see once again, I looked up to see that the 97^th floor was silent.

No one was present.

            The chairs were empty, some laid on the ground as if someone tried to push away anything that got on his or her way. Mugs of coffee and water bottles roamed on the floor as well as papers and folders were scattered on the ground. Coats, bags, especially shoes/heels were left behind, nothing seemed important, but life.

Ring! Ring!

I jumped in fear; the least I expected at the moment was a phone to ring at the middle of a crisis.

Searching for the phone, I finally reached a table where a cellphone rang non-stop.

My hand trembled when I answered it.

“Hello?” a male’s voice cried anxiously. “Laura, are you there?”

I didn’t respond.

“Laura, babe, please answer me,” he sobbed.

I blinked into tears.

“Laura?!”

I trembled as I replied. “This is Jacqueline Monroe. I’m on the 97^th floor from the South Tower of the World Trade Center. Laura is…”

“Where is Laura?!” he yelled in panic.

I swallowed. “Laura left her cellphone behind. She is nowhere to be seen on the 97^th floor nor do I know where she is. I’m….sorry sir.”

I hanged up the phone. I hope she made it out because I don’t think he would be able to bare losing this so called Laura.

After the call, I sat down on a chair, staring back at her once called office desk.

            Observing her desk I caught a glimpse of a portrait on the side of her desktop. A picture of a family of three. The picture of a young man with dark brown hair with light honey eyes, and on his left side was a blonde woman with blue eyes and great smile on her face. In between was a child around her fourth year of age with very light brown hair with blue eyes. Smiling right back at the camera with such joy.

            My heart broke for the child, where ever you are Laura, I’m praying you survive out of this.

I sighed.

Creck! Ca-Boom!

The whole building was moving sideways, downwards slightly.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

I heard my heart race   quickly through my ear drums.

Spreading my arms I grabbed the sides of the table and held on for dear life.

There I heard them all. All the people screaming in panic inside and outside the building (tower).

Than it went still.

Before I realized it I started sobbing, for the first time.

This can’t be happening.

“This can’t!” I yelled.

Then I felt the building…fall.

Staring up the ceiling I saw that there was this huge crack in the middle of the building. It fell right in the middle between the desk I held onto and the wall divider stand.

I gaped.

            The table I gripped onto fell forward where the new crack between the floor laid. Everything started slowly slipping forward to the crack that started growing by the minute. The wheelchair I was sitting on was rolling down as well. Before I could fall along with the chair, I dodged off from the seat and rolled on my side.

Creak! Boom!

            The entire windows now shattered and the building fell slightly sideways. There I thought my life came to an end. My body started sliding where everything seemed to fall towards the crack. Rolling to my stomach I tried grabbing onto anything that can stop me from sliding.

Nothing worked.

“No!...no, no, no, no!”

I dug my nails to the carpet trying to slow me down.

Zzzzch!

On my right side I saw an electric wire as thick as a rope lying on the ground as if begging me to hold onto it.

Grabbing the chord, the building started moving tremendously, causing me to slip with the chord still in my hands. I held onto the wire as tightly as possible which only burned my hands with the rubbing between rubber and flesh. At that instant I slipped into the crack making me hold onto the chord very harshly while I screamed.

During the fall off the crack, I fell into a swing and crashed onto the cracked walls with a big bump. That big bump made me lose a small grip onto the wire, I was lucky that I still hanged onto it; however, I can’t agree with my arm which at this moment was at a much more pain than my hands.

Ssssscchhh!

“Eee!” I shrieked when I heard the sound.

The furniture’s.

Trying to avoid the downfall of furniture’s, I caught a wire ahead of me sticking out form the cracks wall, and got myself as close to the wall as possible. I was shocked at that instant, yet I held onto it no matter how painful it felt. There is no chance I’m going to get hit by a furniture.

Looking behind I saw all the furniture’s fall down the huge gap that seemed like it had no bottom. Every single furniture long perished down the 110^th store high tower.

Ahhhh!

I heard all the screams as I looked down that horrifying gap. The tower is about to crash inwards down and where I hanged was where it would crash me to death.

Letting go of the wire in front of me, I started climbing up the wire to the 97^th floor. My bones cracked from all the pain, my hands stung like no other bee sting, but that didn’t stop me. Dust fell on my face as I stared up at my destination.

I coughed.

            Shacking my head to dust off the dirt away from my face, I continued climbing. Supporting my legs on the wall I finally reached the 97^th floor.

Pushing my weight up with my legs on the cracked walls I was able to hold onto the carpet that now felt loose. Still holding onto the wire my gaze stared on the constructed pole right before me.

Climb up there Jacqueline. I need to reach that pole.

Standing up as I supported my weight on the wire, I started pulling myself towards the pole. When I reached it, the first thing I did was walk behind it so I can lean on it as the building fell forward. When I was sure I can lean on the pole I turned on my stomach and hugged it.

I breathed heavily and waited.

Sweat poured down my forehead, chest, back, and everywhere else. My body felt sticky and tired at the same time.

Staring at my arms I noticed that I wasn’t drenched into sweat, but my own blood.

I licked my lips that felt dry at the moment.

            My arm that suffered the great fall and crash at the cracks wall was scratched and bleeding.

I blinked constantly as if I wanted to wake up from a horrible nightmare.

This is real; this is how terror really feels like.

            Whatever is going on between my country and other nations, people like myself shouldn’t pay the price for something we haven’t done. Because of such arguments this is exactly what happens to innocent people, they suffer for one’s mistake.

Urghhhh! Crash!

The tower started falling down.

Holding for dear life, I gazed at the ground. Everything perished from my feet, causing me to hug the pole with my legs now.

The pole fell forward slightly, causing the ceiling to fall as well.

During the fall all I could hear were the screams as I stared out where supposedly the window was. Falling was what I felt at the moment. Nothing hit me at that instant it was like the sky and earth did not exist. Staring back up at the ceiling, that became the last glimpse I saw, before my world turned black with a;

BOOM!

……………………………………

“Hel….p…me,” I coughed out with a sore throat.

I’m not so sure how long I’ve been screaming down these rocks, but I do know that I’m running out of time.

Everything seemed heavy and unbearable. My legs were trapped and I couldn’t move or feel them at all.

“Is anybody out there?” I coughed harshly.

Everything was black, and sticky, no doubt my own blood roaming on my skin. I felt as if I had an elephant on top of me, nowhere to escape. However, I knew if I moved the rocks they could fall on the wrong side and crash me to death, so I stayed as still as I possible.

Zoom! Zoom!

I heard a faint sound.

I’m here.

Quite footsteps passed by as some machineries were heard from the background.

“Is anybody there?!” a faint male voice yelled.

“Here,” I whispered.

“Anybody?!” the voice slowly was fading.

I took the last strength of my voice and yelled. “I’M HERE!”

The man shifted back as I slowly felt more pressure on top of me.

He heard.

“There is someone down here. Hurry!” yelled the man an order, as his weight shifted off from the pile of rocks I was laying under.

I heard everyone yell.

“Call out again. Please,” the man called out.

I took a deep breath and screamed. “HERE!...HERE!...HERE!”

Little by little I felt the weight on the rocks slowly easing off of me.

Until finally, after the long wait, the last rock came off my view and the flash of light was the last thing I remembered.

           

Author's Note

I hope you like it and would comment please.

Reviews

[Linda alexander]

As it is based on a real tragic situation very hard to comment, but the situation is portrayed so clearly, the suffering is portrayed with maximum depth, what happened to business man and Martha, so sad