Some Forgotten Story
This is a story I wrote a month ago. It is my tribute to the people who died in NY. I do not know if it has any worth. Anyway, I'll keep on writing. Thanks for your patience.
Jaime
The first thing she noticed was a scratch on the wall. Later she would remember this as an announcement of some kind. Anyway, she kept on writing. It was 8:30 a.m. She had to finish the grading of some contracts. When she had first begun as a trader, she could have never imagined that she would get to like it so much. She smiled at this thought. As of lately, a lot of the stuff was coming from Vietnam. This time several would flunk, though. She was about to start with another client's grades when she distinctly heard the noise again -this time it sounded like an empty plastic bottle falling on the floor not too far from where she was. Feeling jitery this early was not her idea of a good start.
At that moment Jim entered the office. That was a relief. She always thought that weird things can only happen when you are alone. She looked back at the screen; she wondered why Reuters had to start this late. Now there were three people already -all of them men. Jim -the closest to her desk gave a little jump- at the loud thump the bronze statue made in falling. They all looked at each other and smiled. She didn't. She guessed they all thought it was an accident. Now she was nervous again. For the first time she wanted the office to be full. Funny things in front of fifteen people? Nah!
8:35. She had had a long-hel belief that time enjoys playing tricks. One of these was to race wildly while others it seemed to go painfully slow. Perhaps all of it was no more than another of her silly ideas -a "smallish" idea as Tom used to say. Besides, why worry so much? What crazy things could happen on the 92nd floor on a beautiful summer day? She walked to the window and looked out in the distance. It was a really nice day! The blue hue that filled the sky was her favorite. Suddenly an image came to her mind. It was a dream... no, it was a nightmare she had had last night or perhaps the night before. A volcano had somehow emerged in the bay. It was so huge that it filled the horizon. The sky looked dark and ominous. People were running in all directions. Her husband was carrying their two children and she was holding a small bundle. They were also fleeing. In the distance, she could see the towering volcano spewing out a giant cloud of dust and gases into the air. The rivers of lava flowing down the mountain made a terrifying sight.
A gorgeous day, eh? -Alan's voice broke the spell. Her Canadian supervisor had been a pain in the ass since his transference from the Montreal branch.
Yeah -she felt ill at ease, especially because she felt forced to respond every time he talked to her. For some reason, he made her feel uncomfortable. She was about to go back to her desk when Alan stepped forward.
It's strange.
What? -now she would have to hear his ranting about the laziness of "some" people.
Is that a plane?
She looked hard to what seemed a shinny cloud.
Yeah, it's a plane all right -Alan's tone was final- What the hell is it doing so close by?
She felt she had to say something, anything.
I don't know, but... it's heading in our direction, I think. A plane crashing down? Such a ridiculous idea.
Hey guys! Come here, quick! - Alan's voice sounded urgent for the first time she could remember.
Holy shit! That damned pilot is on drugs or what? -
The office must have been almost full. It was 8:44. Some ran out to the hall. Her thoughts started to spin almost without control. She thought it was all silly. Little children without a mother. No! no please. She had to supress her silly imagination.
Out in the hall, some people were leaving the elevators. She recognized some employees from Empire Health Choice, but the majority belonged to the Bank of America. Suddenly an unanimous and terrible yell was heard. The building swayed and shook with a metallic quality as if a gigantic piano had been dropped. She was violently thrown toward the stairs. Suddenly tons of paper and all kinds of debris were flying. She sat down on the second step waiting for whatever came. Everything seemed to happen so slowly to the point that she thought she was still dreaming and would wake up any minute. She looked up and saw a red-hot wall advancing and people and things coming in its wake! Then this wave enveloped her.
The volcano rumbled even harder. People in Manhattan fled north and she could see a wild look in their faces. She also ran, but in the tumult, had lost her husband and children. She went back. There were hundreds, maybe thousands, but nobody paid attention to her despite her begging them. Hot ash rained down and seared her skin. As she approached the piers, she was able to see the mountain in all its tremendous power. The earth trembled terribly every time it threw out smoke and fire. She was about to reach Liberty Plaza when the ground gave in. She started to fall into a huge pit, but she was not alone. It seemed as if all the people she had run across before, were also falling. She wanted to fight, but there was only emptiness. Then she gave up for her family was lost too.
The weight was unbearable. It was dark and wet. She tried to move, but she felt something was crushing her lungs. Was this limbo and this would be her punishment? She could smelled familiar odors. No, she was alive. Something or someone soft was on top of her. Little by little her senses came back. She could hear noise and the earth shake. Was this the end of the pit or maybe it was the bottom of the volcano. Where was her family? Were they dead? She felt very cold. If she was not dead. how long would she last?
The earth trembled again and a big chunk of whatever was pressing her was lifted. A fresh gust of air reached her. It occurred to her that she could be really crushed, so she began to yell. There seemed to be some light high above her, but she was not sure. Now she was able to hear voices. Somebody was digging! She had to try to help. She yelled again and again.
There are people here all right -somebody said.
She tried to move sideward, but then a voice told her -Don't move, please. Everything'll be all right. It was Alan's voice, but it came muffled as if he were talking under a cushion. Now she remembered. Just before passing out, Alan had appeared from somewhere and had hugged hard while she yelled and cried. She could not recall how he had appeared. Could he have come flying the way others had?
Alan...
Shhh...
His breathing was warm still. His warmth had surely helped her. She was trying to say something when his hand softly touched hers.
Keep still...
She was crying. She had found her family and they were all crying. She couldn't believe her luck. Nobody was running either. In fact, the volcano itself had disappeared. Perhaps it had sunk back into the ocean. The sky was bright and blue. Her happiness knew no bounds. She felt stupid because everybody went their own business as usual.
Two people...a man and... a woman.
She felt so strange. It was so numbing. She knew Alan hadn't made it, but she didn't feel happy for her nor even sorry for him. For a moment, she wished he had been spared, but who was she to scorn what she had been given?
As she was being led on a stretcher, she took a deep breath. It smelled of the Earth; it smelled of God.
posted by Anonymous @ 9/20/2002
