Chapter 5
Casualties of War
The morning broke nice and clear, not a cloud in the sky. The temperature would remain in the 70’s with very little humidity. It would be a perfect Indian summer day. Teddy left at his usual time, got to the office at his usual time. Had his book out on his desk as none of the Managers would be in for a while. He had a nice big cup of coffee on his desk, when he heard it.
It was an explosion, loud and rumbling. Teddy could tell it was coming from the Trade Towers. His first thought was the terrorists were back. A small group of them had tried to bring down one of the Trade Towers by planting a car bomb in one of Tower’s parking lots a few years back.
It was almost comical as all they managed to do was blow a hole in the floor of the parking lot. It had no effect on the building. Teddy hadn’t even heard the explosion that time. He was in a different building not near the Trade Towers.
So, Teddy figured he’d wait to hear what was going on. But then phones started ringing. It was early 8:48, so there weren’t too many people there. But those who picked up were getting frantic phone calls from their families. Something about an airplane going into the Trade Towers.
Teddy decided to go downstairs and when he got there, he saw Rene in the front of the building with his arms spread wide and shocked look on his face.
Teddy asked. “What happened?”
Rene shook his head and said. “An airplane just crashed into the Trade Towers. I saw it.”
Teddy turned and looked up. He could see black smoke billowing out of the building. He figured somebody flying a small plane had just lost their way. Small planes were not allowed to fly over Manhattan. Probably not terrorists after all.
As the smoke kept billowing out, Teddy wondered why hadn’t the sprinklers turned on? Why was it still burning?
Teddy went back upstairs. The phones were ringing off the hooks. Teddy’s phone wasn’t so he dialed his home number. There was no answer. But then she would be on her way right now. He tried her cell phone, but it didn’t connect. That was the bad thing with those phones. They didn’t always have service.
Teddy knew he could get a better look if he went to the big conference room on their floor as he would be higher up. Not quite on par with the Towers but high up enough that you could clearly see the buildings.
When he got there the windows were already ringed with other employees none of whom could believe what they were seeing. It wasn’t just the black smoke but the amount of it. This was a roaring fire. Teddy knew by the extent of it that the sprinklers just weren’t going to have much effect.
Then everyone by the windows gasped. Teddy didn’t see it at first but then he saw a man, falling or jumping out of the building. Teddy tried to tell himself it was furniture, but the man’s arms and legs were flailing in the air. Teddy could see him falling, falling, failing till he was out of sight. Teddy turned his head away as he began to see other people jumping or being blown out of the building. And Teddy knew instinctively that he would see that man falling, for the rest of his life.
Then someone to Teddy’s left screamed. Teddy turned and saw it. It was big and moving fast. It turned slightly and the way the sun hit it, it looked all black with wings and Teddy thought it was a huge, guided missile. as it flew right into the south Tower. There was a huge, massive black and red cloud that was expanding and coming right for their windows.
Teddy had a moment of sheer terror, and he yelled. “Get away from the windows!” But then the black and red cloud stopped expanding and began receding quickly. In the next moment Teddy turned into a block of ice. He felt nothing. He didn’t even hear the explosion. If anyone had asked him what had just happened, he would have said a guided missile went into the south Trade Tower and it didn’t make a sound.
Teddy hadn’t realized Nick was in the room. He must have just gotten to the office, but he saw him run right by. Nick’s wife worked in that building, the south Tower.
Teddy went back to his phone and dialed both numbers again, no answer. Teddy knew he should be anxious, scared out of his mind with worry over Livi. He realized he probably was, but he felt nothing. He was numb.
Teddy walked over to Fulton Street and waited between the two exits Livi would come out of after she took the 4 or 5 train.
Across the street he could see Nick at the foot of City Hall Park with his cell phone in hand. He was texting furiously.
Read the rest at Amazon don frankel one came running
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