This short story is not meant to put harm or cause damage to the true events of September 11th 2001. This short story is fiction, but the true story events were setting on the 9/11 attacks.
The character "Balto" belong to Universal Pictures films: Balto (1995), Balto II: Wolf Quest (2002), and Balto III: Wings of Change (2004). The main character and supporting characters are fiction.
This short story is also dedicated and a tribute to family members, friends, loved ones, and strangers, who perished and to those who survived on that terrible day of Tuesday September 11, 2001.
On certain days while living and working in Manhattan, New York, I get up early and walk briefly into Central Park from 5th Ave. I entered the park and took my right to see the statue of Balto. Since I have been living in Manhattan, I would go to Central Park to observe the statue and think about if I met Balto. However, I only saw the movie with my kids when it came out in theaters and bought it on VHS.
I gazed at my watch it was 5:36 a.m. and I had to get to my office. Finally, I exited out of Central Park, reentering 5 Ave., and hailed a taxi cab.
"West Street." I instructed the driver of the cab. He begin to drive and I began to make a few calls on my cell phone regarding for work. After making the calls, I searched my brief case of paperwork that I had to finish at my office and make more calls. The cars in Manhattan were a traffic crowd, as it was unlike any other day and I was use to it. The sun was beginning to rise and the street lights were suddenly turned off because of the sunlight.
In about a hour, the cab arrived at the address where the World Trade Center towers were standing bright and tall. I paid the driver and exited the cab, while continuing to look up at the towers. I looked at my watch and it was 6:36 a.m.. On Tuesday, September 11th 2001; I realized that I had to get my work done, before I could leave for the day like any other business day. As I entered the North Tower, the lobby was half packed with employees that are roaming around to get to their offices. I took one of the three express elevators to reach nearly to my office floor. The elevator opened up and I was in the 80th floor and walked over to one of the four local elevators. Before I entered, a animal passed by and I turned around only to see it was gone. I blinked my eyes and could only say that I might be deluded. I dashed into the elevator on time before it was closed... and started to ascend to my office floor. The numbers started to go up in a moderate speed and quickly the number turns to 92nd floor. The elevator doors opened and I exited out to walk towards my office.
I could see employees typing on the keyboards on their computers, some were talking to fellow employees, some were talking on the phones, and a few employees such as myself made it to our floor and heading towards our offices. My office was located at the south corner towards the South Tower. The long white door shows my name on it and I entered my office. I set my briefcase near my desk and turned on my computer, following after I opened the blinds of my office windows. Gazed at my watch once again, the time was 7 o'clock in the morning. The computer goes into the login screen and I started punching the keyboard with my fingers to login. The computer was a bit slow as usual, importantly I remain to be determined to do computer work to finish my paperwork and make some calls.
After a hour of work, I started to feel a bit sleepy that I had to get a bite to eat. I left my office and went towards the local elevators and went up to 106th floor. The elevator doors open and I walked towards "Windows on the World". When I entered the restaurant, there were a few employees, associates, managers, even guests were dining for breakfast. I was being escorted to a table and I asked for coffee. As I was scanning through the menu, I saw the same animal that I have saw when I was on the 80th floor. It was staring at me and sitting on the floor. The animal was gray-brownish and was nearly resembled as a dog. I started to hear voices and it was two of my employees and they were close friends.
"Ted... we're trying to get your attention, are you weird out or something." they asked. I looked back to see the animal was gone again.
"Sorry guys, I was probably daydreaming or hallucinating." I answered. "How's your morning Sam and Rod?" I asked.
"Just trying to go through this day and have a meeting upstairs in a few minutes." Rod answered.
"I have more paperwork to finish in my office... gotta go, you two dogs enjoy." Sam joked with a farewell.
Rod sat down as I ordered a quick breakfast and the waiter went to give the order to the cooks.
"Doing your paperwork for the day?" Rod asked.
"Working on it and just about finished, I need to make some calls and do computer work to finish my day." I answered.
"After work, what are your plans?" he asked.
"Work, work, work..." I said in a joke that we both laughed. "Yes and I'm going to prepare for tomorrow to see my kids and my ex-wife."
"Still working on custody?" he asked.
"I'll be seeing my kids for a few days in one month and I'm sure that my kids would be disappointed because I might have work to complete throughout the rest of the week." I told Rod.
"I'm sure something would turn up, just keep believing for a miracle." Rod said as I nodded. The waiter came and brought my food over and I started eating. "I guess I should head up to prepare my manager's meeting."
"Hopefully it goes well and we might eat lunch together later after your meeting is finished." I said. Rod agreed and headed out from the restaurant. I resumed eating and the waiter gave me my receipt for payment.
While pulling my wallet to pay over eggs, bacon, and sausages, I saw the same dog and it left the restaurant. After I put some cash on the table to pay for the meal, I started to follow the dog aimlessly. As a few group of people started coming out of the elevators, the dog entered the elevator. I hurried over to see that the elevator was closed. My mind was slipping that I might have to call a doctor to see if I could get an evaluation, if I was going insane. The elevator dings as more of the doors open and return back to reality that I have paperwork to complete.
In a few minutes, I ended up being back on my floor and walked back to my office. Confused and embarrassed, I started to turn my head in different directions to see if the gray-brown dog came back to find me. As I entered my office, I inhale and exhale my breath so that I didn't try to scream in my office. Walking back to my chair, I picked up the phone and started dialing numbers to try to call someone. The phone was still dialing... that's when I began to hear the strangest noise that I never hear anything that close or coming close... all the sudden... BOOM! And I blacked out as I fell from my chair and the structures of my office started to crumble.
One minute later, I woke up, my windows were shredded broken, the wind started filling the room with thick black smoke that I could barely see. The ceiling of my office was destroyed as I could see the floor above me was in flames. I couldn't see about a few feet away from where I was at that I couldn't see my office door. I decided to get up, remove my suit, and cover my face with it. Only a few steps I begin to see light, but then I hear glass breaking that was from the window that I could fall off without even noticing. I walked back away from the window, turned around, and started moving forward, as I go through the smoke again to reach my office door. My hands touched a hard object in front of me... it was the door. I tried to open the door, however I tried to open it, but the door was jammed and locked. I began panic and scream, if anyone was outside of my office, I could get some help. I shouted... not a single voice or foot came. The only way I could get out from my office was breaking the door down. The object I could only try was using my chair to break the door. I continued to hit the door, there was no break. The coughing started to cause me to lose focus, as I should try to get out. Out of my gut, I used the chair once more and the door broke a few shreds. I continued repetitively until it created enough hole that I could get out.
I exited out of my office door only to observe the hallway was filled with black smoke. The ceilings, like my office, were damaged and/or nearly destroyed. I begin to search through to find a emergency exit, but it was nearly pitch dark that the only light was the fires burning upstairs. I reached towards the open offices I could only see the windows that were broken, the ceilings caved into some of the areas. I tried to see what time it is on my watch, but it was broken, it stopped at 8:46 a.m. I tried to see what was happening outside, but down below was small that I couldn't tell what was happening except only hearing some sirens. As I continued to look down, a person came down from out of no where. I couldn't tell if that person was from the floor above me or it was from the upper floors. It was at that moment I grew worried to know that one of my co-working buddies was working in the 106th or 107th floor for his manager's meeting. As I began to move, another person fell and it was nearly the same person that closely resembles to Rod. My cell phone was in my pocket, I tried to call, but the lines were busy.
As I walked back towards the elevators, I knew if there was a fire, I shouldn't be using it as a chance of being stuck. I started to walk around more to see an emergency staircase. However, I started to gag as I began to suffocate from smoke inhalation. I fell to the floor and I was about to be consumed from the smoke and gave up hope. Out of my mouth, I could only say is that... "I need help... at least someone..." my eyes closed.
Surprisingly, I woke back up from being sniffed and licked on gently. At first, I thought it was the Port Authority's K-9 unit... however, it was the same gray-brownish dog that I seen minutes earlier. I didn't know who it was, because the smoke began to grow darker than before. The dog barked and went. I had no idea where or what it was trying to tell me. It came and barked again, as if it wanted me to follow it. I got up from the ground and started to follow him.
I was being lead to one of the emergency stairwells, the dog sniffed at the three doors, it managed to find a good scent from the last door on the right. I continued to follow the dog and find an entry to the 91st. As we entered, my legs grew tired that I couldn't be able to move. The dog turned around and saw me fell. It came over and started whimpering as it was nuzzling my cheek. Coughing endlessly, I managed to see the dog was more of a wolf, until I noticed it was a wolfdog. I wasn't sure why a wolfdog was in the building, but I got help either way. He started to bark while whimpering, as he was telling me to "get up and don't give up hope."
I got up and started to follow the wolfdog. He managed to find another staircase where the smoke is less dense. As we took our flight down the stairs, we heard an explosion that the wolfdog stops. His ears pointed up and he started to whimper in sadness. I exited out the 88th floor and walked towards the window where the South Tower is shown in plan view. The 2nd building was in flames and fire was started to come out from the building. I started to figure out the puzzle like in my building... until I discovered... "Oh my God... this is terrorism attacking the United States." I punctured my fear into reality. The wolfdog whimpers that tears began to fall from his face. I bend my knees down and tried to remove the tears and he gave a lick in comfort as tears from my eyes were falling too.
The wolfdog stood up and bolted back to the stairwell where we were. I met back and we decided to journey the flight of stairs. As we're moving down, office workers were starting to fill the staircase that it would take a long periods of time to full come out of the building. He barked when we reached the 80th floor. We entered the floor and find the an express elevator that was still operable. He barked to have me enter.
"I know what you thinking boy... I'm not going into a elevator and have a high chance of being stuck." I told him.
He barked again.
"I'm sure we could walk through the stairs and try different stairwell every time." I added. The wolfdog came to me and barked lightly.
"I understand you want me to enter, but I can't risk it and take chances." I worried.
"What is your name?" the wolfdog spoke.
I gasped and I was unaware that he could talk. "Ted."
"Look Ted... I'm Balto... I'm trying to save you... you need to go." he introduced himself to me. "We could journey on through the stairs, but we can't take too much chances if the building unexpectedly collapses."
I gave in and decided to enter. The elevator doors began to close, I stopped in time to say... "Would I see you again?" I asked.
"Meet me where the statue is..." Balto answered me with instructions.
"Are you going to be alright?" I asked.
He nodded his head and told me not to worry. The elevator doors closed and started to descend. When I used it was quick, but was moving slow due to the impact and damages that could have caused the elevators not to work. The numbers began to countdown. I started to worry that the elevator would stop, but it continues to countdown. I started to sweat from traveling through the smoke and journeying the long stairs to safety. I sat down and inhale and exhale to catch my breath. I started to become tired that I fell asleep.
Minutes later, the elevator dings a louder than before, I woke and to see the lobby was filled with the evacuatees, the Port Authority officers, firefighters, and paramedics were at the scene. I exited out and the authorities started escorting me out of the building. Before entering outside, I turned my head in all directions to see if Balto was in the lobby, but I didn't see him.
"Sir... did you see a wolfdog in this building?" I asked an officer.
"A wolfdog? Sir I'm not sure that I seen any animal in this building or out in the public." he replied.
I exited out the building and looked above and the towers were in flames. I hope he's alright. I thought to myself.
I started to follow the crowd away from West Street and moved up north. Jogging away as possible, I decided to jog towards Central Park to see if the statue was still in shape. The ground started to shake, if an earthquake started to create a natural disaster. I looked back and saw the South Tower began to collapse with ashes and smoke flowing into the streets of Manhattan. I started to run away quicker until I became tired and running out of breath. Despite of not being in the fallout, I was already covered with ash from the smoke when the plane impacted the floor above mine. Moving further away from Lower Manhattan means that I should be near to Central Park.
When I arrived towards Central Park from walking to 5 Ave... the North Tower collapsed. Like this morning, I turned right and saw the Balto statue still in it's good condition like this morning. I dusted my hands from my face and place a hand-print on the statue. I looked only to see Lower Manhattan was all in smoke. I grabbed my cell phone again from my pocket and dialed for my ex-wife. She answered. I told her that I was alright and I was hoping that I could see the kids tomorrow or the next day. She told me what had happened and what she seen on the news. I told her that I'm out of the building and safe. She let out a relief. We said "I love you" four times and hang up.
As I started to head for home, I looked back at the statue... "Thank you Balto... I'll be lost without your help." I said as he was my guardian angel, who helped me out of the building.
Author's Note: The real heroes of that day were firefighters, Port Authority Officers, police officers, paramedics, first responders, as well a few others who worked inside the World Trade Center Towers, who helped evacuate the towers, until the towers collapse after 102 minutes of the first impact of the North Tower.
Never Forget 9-11. RIP
Also, if you like this 9/11 tribute, please feel free to read my latest 9/11 tribute: The Chronicles of Mason Smith Short: When The World Stopped Turning.