The reaction of everyone was to run out of the building. I turned to look at Tony, we had slight eye contact and then we started to run too. Masses of people fled down the stairs to the lobby and then out of the building. Women were screaming, men were stunned. Faces of fear were everywhere. Most people didn’t know what to do. Standing there helpless was a middle aged woman who was a receptionist. She was just in shock, staring at debris falling to the floor from above.
I turned my head to see about five brave fire fighters running through the revolving doors but then suddenly stop to wait for more of their colleagues to follow and catch up. The amount of fire fighters that were now in the lobby was amazing, they had come almost immediately. There were fire chiefs everywhere, sorting out where their own fire fighters were, and where they were going. All of a sudden came great thuds on the floor outside; these thuds were bodies. People from the higher floors with no better option than to jump. Instead of ordering people out of the tower, the fire fighters were bringing people in, out of the way of the obscene rain of people deciding how to die.
And then I realised, what am I doing standing here? HELP people! All of a sudden an elevator opened. The people inside did not have a clue they were totally shocked about what was happening. A man who came out of this elevator was walking around the lobby trying to ask what had happened, all he knew was that there was a big thud. Some people in the tower I was in didn’t even know what had really happened because they had not heard it or seen the low flying plane.
As I ran outside I had to hold my head because of the people jumping from so high above and if they would have hit me I would be seriously injured or even killed like other people had been. I finally reached a suitable distance away from the tower and the falling bodies where it was safe to let my guard down. I looked up to where the plane had hit and suddenly the building started to fall! Everyone began to run and shout. The building was coming down so fast that I had to take cover under a truck that was parked up at the side of the road. You knew that the building had hit the ground when a huge crashing sound happened. Instinctively I closed my eyes to this sound and braced myself. When I opened my eyes there a white powder blowing past like a nuclear winter had happened. Suddenly the second tower began to come thundering down to the ground, it came down with a colossal bang. There was a panic about and people were sprinting as fast as they could to remove themselves from the murky streets where the white powder was lingering. The lights from shops and houses were gone, the streets were dark and only blurry light off cars and from further down the endless drag of streets could be seen.
I reached into my pocket to get my phone out so I could get in touch with my wife. But I had no signal. This is when I started to think about people and my colleagues higher up in the tower, thinking if they got out and could I have helped them. I also tried to ring Tony but my phone still had no signal. I wanted to get back to Tony and the other people to see if I could help just someone. But the police were escorting people away from the area and telling others to get away. One woman said that people were escaping the hell and going to the Brooklyn Bridge, so I decided that was probably the best option because then I could ring my wife from there.
When I arrived at the bridge there were crowds and crowds of people distressed and shocked. They were staring at the smoke pumping out on to the horizon thinking of their colleagues and families. This reminded me that I had to try Rachel again to let her know I was fine. I finally got through to her and she was relieved about me ringing her because the news channels were showing the towers crashing to the ground. She also asked me about Tony. I told her that we lost contact in the lobby of the tower and that I had not seen him since that moment. Rachel then started to panic and she made me feel guilty. I tried to comfort her and also myself by telling her that the fire people will have moved him out of the tower safely. I told Rachel that I would be home as soon as possible.
I then thought to myself that I would have to walk home because I had left my truck next to the tower and I also left my wallet in the office, I was so grateful that I had not been killed or had relatives killed through the devastating attack. The walk home was a very good time to reflect on what had happened on that terrible day. It was about eleven thirty when I arrived at the house. As soon as I arrived the dog jumped all over me in delight as though he knew what had happened. Rachel then ran up to me and gave me the biggest hug ever and then called the kids while grabbing on to me. The kids were upstairs playing around and were down stairs to hug and kiss me so fast it was unbelievable. I was surprised by their welcome and was obvious to what was going on with the whole attack on the news until Rachel sowed me the TV.
As I settled down and told the story of my ordeal to Rachel I felt bad about not ringing Tony as soon as I could so I rang his house to see if he was there or if Lucy had heard from him. The phone was ringing and I was nervous about what to say if Lucy had not heard from him and asked me why I did not get him out. Finally after a few rings Lucy picked up the phone. She spoke with a worried tone. She thought I was Tony, I felt saddened to tell her it was not him. She was very anxious, she told me that she had heard from him but that it was a long time ago. I questioned her about what he said and how he was feeling at that time. She said he was safe but couldn’t find me and was worried about me. Lucy said that he called her hours ago, this is what made me get into Rachel’s car and drive to try and find him.
The streets were dead until you got near central Manhattan. Fire trucks and police were everywhere. I decided to park the car and walk instead. There was a layer of powder on floor with footprints and car tracks indented in the snow like powder.
I tried to contact Tony and he picked up! I was totally shocked by this and had to ask the answerer was it Tony. Thankfully it was, but he was on the other side of Manhattan to where I was. We kept talking until I got back to Rachel’s car then we put the phone down so I could get to him as quick as I could. The streets were white with powder and there were no lights on the roads, which made it hard to drive. On my way to Tony I must have seen hundreds of flashing lights from emergency service vehicles going back and to. I arrived to where Tony said he was so I stopped and waited eager to see him, I rang him. He was only two blocks away from me.
I came round the corner from where Tony was and I could tell where he was standing because there was a parked police with its lights flashing. I stopped the car and got out then saw Tony. He was covered in the white powder that was everywhere. We looked at each other and then I embraced him, he started to cry and ask how I was. I told him to shut up because I wasn’t the one who had not been contacted and had his family crying over him wondering where he was. I got him to the car as fast as possible, we spoke constantly until we arrived at his house.
His wife greeted him with a huge hug and kiss, as though he had been away from home for years. This was like how I and Rachel hugged and kissed when we saw each other after the ordeal of not knowing if I was coming home.
Lucy was so relieved to have him back safe and sound. Lucy even thanked and hugged me for retrieving Tony from Manhattan and also for me actually been there and alive.
I said my goodbyes to Tony and Lucy, as I sat in Rachel’s car I gazed straight ahead in a trace reflecting on the day that had happened. On the Outside I was trying to been happy and carry on with life a best as I could, whereas Inside I was so relieved and grateful that I was fortunate not to be killed or trapped and that I could see my wife and children again.
While driving home I thought of the terrified people I had seen, were they dead now? Are they able to see there children and wife again like me and Tony?
The survivors of this terror attack are so lucky and fortunate, we can carry on and look to the future. The families of the dead have to live life without a family member, they do not know whether their husbands, wives, or children will be returning home after this…how can they live their lives now I queried myself?