9-11-2001

This is a short story in memory of victims of the 9-11 attack and their families. If you've lost someone because of 9-11 or any terrorist I'm so so sorry and I give you my love and condolences. I love you all very much. 

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Schools all around the United States turn on the News. "The Twin Towers have been hit by an American passenger plane." Declared the man on the screen. His eyes are sad and fearful. A little girl sits in the back of the classroom. She's confused and scared. "Why is the teacher crying?" She wondered. Even though she doesn't understand what happened, she know it can't be good. "My mommy works in the city." She announced. The teacher comes over to her and holds her tight. Tears fall down the kind old women's face. The little girl's dad picks her up early from school. His face is red and eyes glassy from unshed tears. "When's mommy coming home?" She asked, eyes innocent and wide as she stares at her father expectantly. A tear falls down her dad's cheek. Then another. Then another. "Mommy's gone away, sweetheart. She's in a better place now." A few more tears drip down the man's face. The little girl didn't understand what had happened at the time, but she did know she wanted her mother back. As the years pass the girl grows older and now she understand what happened. 9-11 took her mother away from her. 

        A mother sits in an office, eyes scanning the familiar computer and her fingers click the keys. A normal day, just like any other day. Only it's not any other day. A frantic worker comes rushing into the office. The worker talks in a blur of sentences and words, his tone curving with fear and panic. "Slow down." The women says calmly. "What happened?" The worker took in a few breaths before speaking. "The Twin Towers have been hit! Someone attacked the Twin Towers and the Pentagon!" The women stared at the worker in pure shock. Fear filled the woman's heart. Her son worked at the Pentagon. He had just started working there a month back. "No." She muttered, eyes clouded with tears. That night her son didn't come home to her. Or the next night or the next. Her son had been killed in the attack. She would never be able to bury her son and truly put him to rest because his body was never found in the rubble. 9-11 took her son, her baby boy.

        Tourist and citizens walked through the streets of New York City. Business men and women rushed to work. A boy rode his skateboard through the streets, shouting sorry's to anyone he nearly ran into. A little girl licked an ice cream and held onto her father's hand as they walked. A couple walked down the sidewalk, hands intertwined. Suddenly a shout come from an onlooker. A few people turn to see what the commotion is. Screams filled the streets, as people watched in pure horror as a plane crashed into one of the Twin Towers. The sound resounds through the air. Vibrating through the spine's of those who witnessed it. Children cry and people scream. Some people ran in the direction of the collapsing building, others fled in the opposite direction. A thick smoke fills the air and the smell of gasoline and burning rubble burned the noses of those in the city. Chaos filled the streets and panic filled the air. The second tower was hit minutes later. Soot covered the civilians nearby in a thick coat. People were injured, scared, and confused. The Pentagon was hit somewhere in the distance. Everything in the city shut down. Trains, subways, streets, airways. Everything. Parents all over the United States rushed to pick up their kids from school. The news was on every TV. Everyone was so confused and so scared.

        A man ran as fast as he could down the steps. The first tower had just been hit. People rushed past him, pushing and shoving, trying desperately to get out of the building. The man was only on the second floor, so he hoped to god he would make it out in time. His mind flashed to his wife. She was 4 months pregnant. They were suppose to find out whether it was a boy or a girl next week. A woman in front of him toppled to the ground and he stopped to help her up. "Come on! We gotta go!" He shouted over the noise. The woman stood up and gestured to her ankle. The man slipped his arm around her to support her weight. "We are making it out of this alive!" He declared as her dragged the woman to the doors. Blood dripped down the man's face from a where a piece of debris hit him. All around them pieces of the building rain down. The man pulled the woman along with him as fast as he could, trying to get to safety in time. A loud crash rang through the building,  informing them of the second tower being hit. Once they were out of the building and a safe distance away they stopped. They watched as, seconds later, the building completely collapsed. Tears cut through the dust that covered their bodies like a film. They watch as their co-worker are killed before their eyes. The women lets out a sob. 9-11 took their jobs and their friends. 

        On September 11th, 2001, terrorist attacked the United States. They attacked the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and attempted to attack another building but failed when a group of people interfered. On September 11th, the United States fell to pieces. On September 11th the United States picked itself back up again. It came back better than ever. The citizens came to together to help. Whether it was donating blood, money, or time. Hundreds of people came together to help with the clean up. Over 3,000 people died on that horrible day. Parents lost their children; grandparents lost their grandchildren. Children lost their brother, sisters, and parents. People lost friends, family, and co-workers. As a country we mourned and still now, 13 years later, we are still mourning for our losses. A monument now stands in place of where the Towers once stood tall. Names are written into the stone, forever remembering the day we were attacked. We will never forget, never. 

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Again I love you guys so much. 

~Emma