She walked into 2 WTC, the South Tower. It was September 11, 2001, 6am. Even the sun wasn’t up – it wouldn’t be for another half hour at least. But those were the perks of working for Aon in New York, the chance to see the sunrise every morning. And boy, was it spectacular, the perfect start to a new day. Being 100 floors up offered a fantastic view of the city, and the world beyond.
Deep breath in
She would never understand how she had gotten addicted to coffee. The bitter aftertaste it left in her mouth disgusted her, yet she had diligently carried in two cups each morning, one for her and one for her co-worker. The silence of the office this early in the morning was comforting. It was different from the usual buzz that lasted from 9 to 5, daily, without fail. At 6:33am, the skyline was washed a bright pink, then orange, as the sun began the day’s trek across the sky. She sipped her coffee, watching.
Deep breath out
She took a break from the medical insurance case she had been working on and headed to the window to look over the city, again. It had never failed to amaze her how many people were here together; each living such different lives to the next. The sheer number of people she had probably passed once and never seen again was amazing. The number of people on her floor alone was enough to take her breath away. She pulled out her phone, a quick glance showing that it was 8:45am. Sighing, she headed to her desk to start working on the claim again. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a plane fly into the North Tower.
Blink
She stopped dead, her mind forgetting all about the papers on her desk. She wasn’t the only one; the entire floor had seemed frozen in shock. The blaring alarm pierced through the moment, spurring everyone into action. Others were running to the exit, but she was stuck in place. Her co-worker, tugged on her arm. Her feet were like lead as she was dragged towards the doors. She fumbled for her phone, realising that her husband would be worried; news would have spread by now. The phone had just started ringing, as the floor fell out from beneath her.
Pause
She regained consciousness to semi-darkness. Squinting, she could only make out basic shapes around her, and no bodies. Inhaling was painful, exhaling was worse. She attempted to move, but was numb. She tried to wiggle her fingers, but could neither see nor feel them. Then she heard it - someone, someone else who had been there with her. She wasn’t the sole survivor. She cried out, her voice hoarse and weak. She had inhaled too much dust, and the debris crushed her lungs. A wave of fatigue overwhelmed her. She succumbed to it, and let the darkness wash over her.
Remember
She pictured her husband’s warm, whiskey coloured eyes. She imagined herself not under a pile of rubble, but crushed in her husband’s arms, breathless and consumed with love. She remembered her mother and father, and how proud they were of her when she landed her dream job. Wishing she could see them again, she willed herself to keep going, to keep breathing. But her eyes finally closed and gave way to the bright, painless light.
Deep breath in. Deep breath out. Blink. Pause. Stop.