Highest Bidder

Part 26: Rest In Peace

"Hello!"

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"Hello!!!"

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"Hello!!!!!"

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I can hear them. Hundreds of them. Trapped like me. I can hear the crying of children. The pained squeals from the injured and I can hear others yelling like me.

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As the rubble came down and everything dropped- I thought when I closed my eyes they would never open again. Everything had shifted. I held onto Valentina because she doesn't deserve to be alone. Even in death.

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"Hello!!!!"

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"Hello!!!!!!!!"

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It's hard to breathe in here. I search around for my bag and can just barely find it with my foot. I hook my foot into it and bring it towards me. The ceiling had dropped at least a foot and a half lower, making it impossible now to sit up at all. Shifting myself sideways, I grab the strap that is around my ankle and pull it towards me. I unzip it and rifle through. I can't really see, but I know what I'm feeling for.

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Found it!

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I pull on a surgical mask. It will at least protect my lungs a little bit.  I close my eyes and think. The floor I'm on is no longer horizontal. Everything shifted downward toward what would be the hallway of Helen's floor.

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"Hello!!!!!!"

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"Hello!"

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"Hello!"

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I look at my watch 5:38. The last bomb went off at 1:55. I passed out until about 3:00 due to shock and exhaustion.

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"Hello!!!"

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"Hello?!!!!"

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Someone else!

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"Hello! I'm Max!!!!"

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"Max!!!!! Thank God!!!!"

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"It's Iggy!!! Are you okay!!!!!"

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Iggy. Thank God he's alive! A tear comes to my face.

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"I could be better!!!!! You????"

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"Same!!! I got some friends down here!!!!"

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Other's thank God! Thank God!

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"How many?!!!!"

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"15!!! All okay!!! Minor injuries!"