by Katilyn S
“One.” Those eyes-the eyes of a Dorian grey.
“Two.” The soft smile that lit up her face, making her expression look almost harmless.
“Three.” I knew Claire. Inside and out.
We all heaved on the door, making it fall down with a loud thud. Once the door was down, the smoke exited the room, causing all of us to cough brutally. I covered my mouth and tried not to breath in the nauseous fumes. I placed my mouth piece over my lips and sucked in a breath of oxygen. Smiling grimly, I shuffled inside and glanced around.
The ex-office area was now up in flames. The heat snuck through our sleeves and I started to sweat profusely. I clapped my hands together and sighed. Small fires were set upon desks and the flames licked the ceiling. My gaze swept the floor and I grimaced.
Bodies were laying all over the hardwood floor. A lot of them were moving about, trying to get to the stairs. Others were consumed in the flames, being burnt alive. I shuddered violently and tried to look away.
It was impossible. The bodies were everywhere.
“Michael,” Andrew called out. I glanced over at him and saw that he had two men over his shoulders. Both were unconcious, but Andrew held them none the less. “You need to grab some victims and start down the stairs. We can’t get the elevators to work.”
I nodded and walked off, looking for someone to carry down. I stooped down under the thickening smoke and eased onto my knees. I crawled forward, taking in deep breaths from my tank.
“Help,” a hoarse voice cried out. I looked to my left where a hand waved out. I crawled over to it and noticed a young women in her late twenties watching me. She had severe burns on her face and arms and the tips of her long black hair were singed. Her large blue eyes watched my every movement and her lips parted. No words came out.
She was dressed in a stylish pinstripe suit and high heels. I slipped the shoes off of her feet and slid my hands underneath her. I heaved her up into my arms and got to a standing position.
Turning around, I looked for the door we came through, but I didn’t see anything. I couldn’t find my friends anywhere and I panicked a little.
“Andrew?” I called out. As I started to move around the office, a memory from a few years ago was emblazoned in my mind.
My senior year of high school. It was the end of the school year and I was getting ready to go off and be a fire fighter for the rest of my life.
One particular day in April of 1992, I was in my chemistry class. I was working on my homework for that night when the door squeaked open. I looked up from my desk and saw a young girl enter the room. She walked up to the teacher and handed her a small pink note. The teacher nodded and the girl turned to walk to the empty desk behind me.
As she passed by me, her eyes met mine and I froze. She wasa one of the most beautiful girls I had ever seen. She had short cinnamon colored hair that hung right at her shoulders. Her lips were graced with a shy smile and she raised a hand to push a strand of her hair behind her ear. I noticed multiple earrings in her ear and a silver stud in her nose.
The thing that caught my attention the most was the color of her eyes. They were a dark stormy grey and a fire burnt dimly in them. The only thing off about her was a brown and blue circle covering her right eye. Anger burst through my body and I immediately wanted to know who had hit her.
I opened my mouth to speak to her but she hurried by me, dumping her stuff on the floor beside her new desk. It took all I had to face forward and continue working. I could hear her behind me. The scratch her pencil made on a new sheet of paper. Her harsh breathing and murmurs under her breath when she got an answer wrong.
At the end of class, I stuffed my binder in my bag and slid it onto my shoulders. I smiled softly and turned to the girl, but her body was already turned away from me. Her face was turned downwards and pieces of her hair fell into her eyes.
I ran a hand through my growing black hair and opened my mouth.
“I’m,” I started but the bell started to ring. The girl ran off without another glance at me and my shoulders sank. I sighed and trudged out of the classroom.
Once in the hallway, I was seized by arms that didn’t quite fit around my waist. I looked down into a pair of dark blue eyes-the color of the sea.
“Michael,” she murmured and smiled longingly at me.
I swept my gaze over her petite body. She wore a tight tee and a short skirt showing off her tanned legs. Her heels gave the impression that she was taller than she really was. Her long black hair was curled around her heart-shaped face and her dark eyes were brightened with excitement.
“Lucy,” I replied and hitched the corners of my mouth up. She grinned back knowingly.
She pulled my head towards her and her lips met mine. I kissed her back passionately and snaked my arms around her waist. She locked hers around my neck and shivered beneath my touch.
After a few minutes of kissing, I pulled back and stared at her lovingly. Suddenly, out of the corner of my eyes I could see the new girl pass by. She glanced quickly at me, then at Lucy in my arms, before running off to her next class.
The bell rang again and I took my arms away. Lucy’s lips formed a little pout and she whimpered. I chuckled and kissed her cheek.
“We have to get to class,” I warned. She held onto my hand and stared into my dark green eyes.
“Let’s skip English,” she muttered and pulled on my hand. I shook my head.
“We have a test,” I explained. “And if I’m not there, then I will get in big trouble. I need all A’s to get into school next year.”
“Okay,” she grumbled and walked along side me to our English test. We were tardy and as I signed the sheet, I looked towards the back of the room. The girl with those impossible grey eyes was smiling at me mockingly. She rolled her eyes and went back to the book she was reading. I fumbled wtih the pen in my hand before handing it to Lucy, who took it and quickly signed her name.
She smiled back up at me and pressed her lips to my cheek. I felt the blood pool in my cheeks and I smiled shyly.
“I love you,” she whispered and flounced off to her desk. I frowned and walked over to my desk, taking one last look at the new girl. I looked down at my desk and grimaced.
This is going to be a long month, I thought and clenched my hands into fists.
“Help me,” the woman cried in my arms again. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and her petite body shuddered with violent sobs.
“I’m here,” I told her. “I will get you to safety.”
The smoke was thickening around me and I could barely see my own hands. I trudged on and I could feel a wall against my hand. I followed the wall before finally finding a door. I threw it open and saw the stairs to my right. People were still falling down the steps and didn’t notice the burnt woman in my arms. I flowed along with them and started running down the steps.
Eighty-two. Eighty-one. Eighty. Seventy-nine.
I let my mind be focused on taking the girl to safety. My breathing was still labored and I coughed from the smoke that had entered my lungs.
Suddenly, the building trembled and I could feel it down to my toes. My eyes widened and everybody in the stair well froze.
“It can’t be,” one guy shot out. The building trembled again and my breath left me. My heart hammered in my chest as I realized that I wasn’t going to make it. My thoughts went straight to Claire.
“I won’t ever see her again,” I whispered to myself. I set the woman on the stairs beside me and put my head in my hands. My body shuddered with silent sobs and tears flowed in a steady stream down my cheeks. “Oh, Claire.”
A hand was placed on my shoulder and I looked up. Andrew was standing on a step below me, staring at me. His eyes were saddened and his smile flickered.
“Herring. We aren’t going to make it this time,” he stated. I nodded in agreement and moaned. “I just wanted to let you know that it was a great five years brother. I-I’m going to miss you.
“Andrew, same
here. I-I am going to miss Claire. I just....I just wish I could see her once more,” I stuttered. He smiled again, but it was a sad smile that didn’t fill his face.
“Oh, Michael,” he sighed and sat down in front of me. the building trembled and I knew that the tower was about to fall. “I love you brother.”
“I love you too,” I replied and hooked my arm through his.
Suddenly, the floor crumbled underneath us and I fell to the ground. As I was falling, I thought of nothing but Claire. People fell beside me and I tuned out their screams of terror. I could feel Andrew’s arm still hooked in mine. Seth wouldn’t be able to propose to his girlfriend. We wouldn’t see our loved ones ever again.
Goodbye, Claire, I thought to myself.
Finally I hit something hard and I saw nothing but a bright white light.
Chapter 28-September 11, 2001; 9:49 a.m. (Claire)
A few minutes ago, I had taken to pacing my room. I knew that Alex was watching me with concern, but I didn’t care. Some more of my students had gone home and the rest were still watching the news cast.
I had my phone in my hand and I shot worried glances at it, wanting to call Michael. I knew he was there, probably saving somebody’s life. I frowned and looked at the television.
The towers were still burning profusely. There was no way that the fire fighters were going to be able to put that out. It was way too big.
Come on, Michael, I pleaded silently. I flipped the phone in my hand and contemplated throwing it against the wall. I tightened my grip on the little phone and sighed. I looked back over at Alex.
He stood with Hope off to the side. She was still crying but the tears had slowed some and she was holding onto Alex’s hand tightly. She had turned away from the news and spoke to Alex. He would nod every once in a while and sometimes even shook his head. But his eyes, we trained in on me, flicking every now and then to look at the news. At that moment, his eyes caught mine and he grimaced.
“You okay?” he mouthed. I shook my head and bit my tongue to keep from crying out.
“No,” I mouthed back and let a tear slip down my cheek. He nodded as if he understood and turned back to the television.
The reporter kept us updated, telling us that hundreds were already dead and that the numbers were estimated to reach a few thousand. I shook my head in denial, not wanting to believe any of it.
Abruptly, my phone started to ring. My eyes widened with shock and I looked at the screen. An unknown number flashed at me and I frowned, confused. I flipped it open and pressed the reciever to my ear.
“Hello?” I asked carefully. There was deep breathing on the other end and I was about to hang up when the person spoke.
“Claire Barnes?” It was a man’s voice; deep and cautious.
“Yes,” I said in a clipped voice. The man was starting to scare me.
“Its,” he paused searching for an answer, “it’s your dad.”
I froze, the reciever still pressed to my ear. My knees buckled and I fell onto the floor. Alex ran over to me but I waved him off.
“I’m fine,” I mouthed at him. Concern masked his expression, but he walked a few feet away. To my dad I said, “Dad?”
“Yeah,” he muttered. “Look, I know this is bad timing, but I wanted to make sure you were okay. You and Alex, I mean.”
“You were wondering if we were okay?” I repeated. And then it hit me. “Where did you get my number?”
“Your mother gave it to me. I called her a few minutes ago. She gave me your cell number and I just wanted to make sure that you guys weren’t hurt in the explosions,” he explained. I nodded slowly into the phone.
“Wait,” I told him. “You wanted to check up on us? You mean, we actually matter now?”
“Claire,” he whispered. I laughed; it was short and haughty-the way I used to laugh.
“No,” I told him. “Let me finish.”
“Okay,” he murmured, knowing that he was defeated.
“For four years, you beat me. You would hit me, kick me, and even through things at me. You would scream at me, saying that I was a worthless brat. You broke my bones. You gave me black eyes. You etched the word ‘ugly’ into my skin. You got me pregnant.”
“Pregnant?” he asked in disbelief. I smiled grimly into the phone.
“Yes, dad,” I said the word mockingly. “At age fourteen, you got me pregnant and I had to get an abortion. I couldn’t raise a child-your child by the way-at age fourteen. I was way too freaking young. I didn’t tell anybody though. Because if you found out, then you would have beaten me, wondering why I didn’t use birth control.
Fourteen year olds do not use birth control, dad. We just don’t. And after that, you continuously raped me. Oh believe me, I tried to stay away, but you always got in. Always.”
“Claire, I’m sorry. I-I didn’t know,” he stammered. I forced out another laugh.
“You didn’t know?” I asked icily. “Oh that’s right. You don’t remember because you were stinking drunk when you got home. Then, after I left, you started hammering in on Alex. You broke his first bone at age four. And it got worse for him. No wonder he ran away too. God, you....you were awful. And now....now you call me to make sure that we are okay? You actually care about us now? Or is it just the guilt building up inside your black soul. Oh, that’s right. You don’t have a soul. Do you?”
It was silent on the other end, but I knew my dad was still there. I could hear the air hissing through his clenched teeth.
“Claire, I have changed,” he said. “I have been sober for six months now...”
“Oh my God. Six months? That must be a new records for you. Congrats,” I interuppted with a sarcastic voice. He let out a gruff sigh.
“God, Claire. I have changed. You can come see for yourself,” he offered.
“No thanks,” I scoffed. “I don’t want another black eye.”
“Would you stop?” he interjected in an angry voice. I frowned and rolled my eyes. “Claire, I have changed. Please, believe me.”
“Whatever,” I shot back.
“Please just tell me that you guys are okay,” he pleaded.
“No dad. We are not okay. America is under attack and Alex is dead. You happy now?”
“You’re kidding,” he stated. “You have got to be kidding.”
“I am, okay? But only about the ‘Alex being dead’ part. God,” I muttered.
“Don’t ever scare me like that again, Claire,” he warned. I laughed humorlessly.
“Like you care,” I shot back. “Look, I have to go. Alex wants me.”
“Okay, give him my love,” he said.
“No thanks,” I told him, getting annoyed.
“Okay,” he complied. “But I do love you, you know. I always have.”
“Yeah. Sure. Whatever,” I commented and hung up. I placed the phone back into my pocket and stood up. I wiped a few stray tears from my cheeks and forced a smile onto my face.
“Let me guess,” Alex stated behind me. “Dad.”
“Yeah,” I answered. “He wanted to ‘check up on us’ and to tell us that he changed.”
“What a two timing lyer,” Alex spat. I grinned and put a hand on his back.
“Now, that is why I call you my brother and why I love you,” I said and gave him a hug. As we hugged, a few students gasped and pointed at the television.
We pulled away and I looked over at the news report. Visibly, you could see the South Tower trembling. Suddenly, the top of it caved in and the whole building collapsed. It was like one second, it was there, and then right when you blink, it was gone. A massive cloud of dust filled the streets and suddenly the camera went dead. The screen turned black and there was silence throughtout the room.
Everybody in the classroom was crying except for Alex. Part of me was mad at him for not crying. How could he not cry when this many people were dying. He could have at least shed one tear.
“Stupid boy,” I muttered and turned away from him.
I
placed my head in my hands again and choked out a sob. All of those innocent people were gone. They died. That put the deaths in the thousands. Business owners. Secretaries. Officers. Police. Fire fighters.
Suddenly, I froze again.
“Fire fighters,” I whispered in agony. “Michael.”
My stomach lurched once again and I ran to the nearest sink. I vomited and Alex came over to hold my hair on the back of my neck. He twisted it into a pony tail and then let go. I straightened myself, wiping my mouth with a towel and turned to him.
“Michael,” I repeated and started to sob.
“Oh, Claire,” he sighed. “You don’t even know if he was in the South Tower. He could be in the North Tower for all you know. Or he could even be in an ambulance with a victim. Think positive, Claire.”
“Sorry,” I apologized. “I am just worried sick and after seeing that, I don’t know if I can take it anymore.”
“Um, Claire?” Hope called out trough her tears. I looked over at her. She was on her phone talking to someone.
“Yeah?” I wondered. She let out a sob, her gaze fixed on me.
“The North Tower just collapsed too.”
The world abruptly disappeared and I started running. I didn’t know where I was going, but I just ran.
Chapter 29-September 23, 2001 (Claire)
I felt my knees buckle and I sank down onto the wet grass. I sniffed and ran a gloved hand through my damp hair. I could feel the water seeping into my boots, but I didn’t care. I swallowed loudly and rocked back.
I sat like that for a moment; kneeling on the grass, thinking about everything. I placed my hand in my jacket pocket and fingered the small blade nestled in the warmth.
“Hm,” I murmured and closed my eyes. A tear slipped out from my closed eye lids and I shivered violently. The wind was a whiplash against my cheeks; they were turned red from the rough breeze.
The cold was sneaking into my sleeves and into my skin. Goosebumps rose on my arm and I rubbed another hand over it. I was instantly warmed and sighing, I watched my visible breath rise into the air in white whisps.