9/11/01

It’s a bright sunny morning. Benjamin was walking to work, slowly though so he could admire the beautiful streets of Manhattan. His phone started singing the AT&T default ring tone. He takes it out of his pocket, “Yes dear?” he inquires. “You forgot to put on the new green tie I bought you!” his wife whined on the other end of the line. Benjamin had purposely left the puke colored, paisley tie on his dresser, but loved his wife so much that he was willing to wear it just to make her smile. “Damn it! I’m sorry! I’ll hurry back and get it right now!” Benjamin hung up the phone, and hurried back the way he had come.
He came upon a little white house with pale green shutters. Green, of any shade or tint, was his wife’s favorite color. He went into the house and into his room. His wife was standing there waiting with the tie in her hand. She went to him and put the tie on. She then took a step back and said, “You look really handsome in it!” A big smile went across her face, and seeing that, Benjamin's smile was even bigger. He pulled her close and kissed her. Laying a hand on her stomach, he bent down to kiss that too. He whispered quietly, “You have a gorgeous mother.” He stood up straight again. “I love you.” His wife sighed still with a grin on her face. “And I love you.” Benjamin said from the bottom of his heart, and then ran out the door.
He was walking on the crowded streets again, brisker now that he was running a little late. He worked at one of the Twin Towers as a business man. He was on the 7th floor. He walked off the elevator and saw mini business men and women everywhere. It was bring your kid to work day. He looked forward to taking his own child to his office with one of the best views on that floor. His kid would be so proud of him.
He sat at his desk, and called for Jerry. Jerry was Benjamin’s young but efficient secretary. He came in and started reciting the schedule for that day. When he looked up, his eyes grew wide, and his face turned ghost white. “Oh my god, what is that?!” he yelled. Benjamin turned just in time to see a plane coming straight for the building.
In a matter of seconds, everything was destroyed, alarms were going off, people were screaming, and there was a thick cloud of smoke everywhere. The plane had crashed into the building about 10 floors up but affected the whole building. It was shaking, and rumbling. Benjamin felt a sharp pain in his arms and on his head. He got up, and staggered to the door of his office. He could see black figures running around like little demons with high pitched screams. He made his way towards the steps self-consciously. His mind didn’t know what to think about and could tell his body to do nothing more than run and yell.
He was leaping down the stairs, avoiding ceiling tiles and broken glass. He heard a faint cry right as he was passing the 4th floor entrance room. He looked inside, but could see nothing, but heard the faint cry again. He opened the door and smoke hit him in the face like a punch to the eye. He walked in blindly calling out to the person in there. “Where are you?!” he bellowed. He waited a minute and heard another cry, “Help me!” He could tell it was a kid, probably brought here by one of his parents. He followed the sound of the kid’s voice. Finally, he found a little boy under a piece of wood that seemed to be a desk, or what was left of it. Benjamin pushed with all his muscle and set the boy free. He carried the kid out the door and started carrying him down the steps.
The building was shaking even more now and there was another big crash. Benjamin looked up and saw that the building was going down, fast. He tried to run fast but a part of the ceiling fell and landed on him! He told the boy to follow the rest of the people and to hurry. The little boy said something that seemed to be like a thank you, but he couldn’t tell. His eye sight was getting cloudy and he didn’t feel a floor under him anymore. He started thinking about his wife, and his unborn child. If he died, his son or daughter would have to grow up without a father. The love of his life would have to get a job and be a single mother. He thought about how he would never see his child or his wife ever again. Suddenly he could see again. He didn’t feel his own pain anymore. Benjamin got up and ran, faster than ever down the steps, dodging every obstacle. Then, there was light. He could see the sun. Someone picked him up and carried him away from the building, and away from the smoke. Then everything was black.
Benjamin woke up to his wife, looked at him with so much care and worry. When she saw that he was awake she hugged him and kissed him, yelling who knows what. Benjamin could just smile. He WOULD be there for the two most important things in his life, no matter what.