Chapter 1
I hate writing. I really do, but my parents always hammered this into me that I should at least try to write down my life in a journal or book of some sort. It's what they would've wanted. And yes, I did write would've. My parents are long gone, and I guess the only real way to describe the whole crazy journey I've taken with my sister Elsa is to start there.
September 11, 2001. A date that's been scarred deep into my brain. We lived in New York City at the time and my dad was the owner of the Arendelle Shipping Company. It kinda runs in the family. My mom stayed at home and tended to Elsa and I. That morning was really the exact same as any other morning. We all got up and did our morning routines and got kisses from Father as we left for school. I remember it as about halfway through the day. Elsa and I had music class together. We were all working on the lutes that day when the usual loud beep came over the intercom.
"Attention all students, staff, and teachers. Please stop instruction immediately and turn to channel 5."
Murmurs began to rise as the teacher turned on the TV. I looked back at Elsa and saw the same worried expression that I knew I had. I tried wiping off the look to comfort Elsa.
"It can't be anything that serious right? Besides, we get to watch TV during school! That's always good...right?"
"Anna they're cutting out work in the entire school just to watch the news. There's no way things can be okay."
The remark cut through me and I was immediately terrified. So many questions were buzzing in my head. Could this involve Father? Is he alright? What could possibly be going on?
The Twin Towers had been struck.
I glanced back at Elsa to seek comfort and all I saw were tears. I was scared as well but I didn't understand how she was that upset...and then I saw the headline. South Tower struck by plane.
Father's company uses the top uses floors of the North Tower.
As I began to break down I felt a firm arm grab me and whip me to the door. Elsa led me out of the classroom and the school and we ran the three blocks back to our house. Elsa practically broke the door open and yelled "Mama! Papa is going to die! We need to go get him!" No response. We were silent, trying to comprehend where she could be. That's when we noticed a note on the counter.
I called Elsa over and showed her the note, reading
"Sweethearts - Your father had a big client come in today, and I had to go to the tower to help set up an appropriate lunch in order to draw him into the sale. I'll be…
Elsa couldn't finish reading as she'd shattered the note from being so scared.
We walked back outside and just stared at the burning tower. That's when we lost it. We both fell to the ground in each other's arms and sobbed like the little girls we used to be. The crying was short lived however, as when I had finally dried my eyes enough to see, I saw another plane strike the South Tower. Elsa and I sat there with our mouths agape, still in disbelief that this had happened yet again in the same day. As I teared up again Elsa stood up. Something had changed about her. She all of a sudden looked strong, fierce. She snapped her head towards me and spoke.
"Anna, we aren't the only ones with family in there. Thousands of people will be affected by this, and are we really just going to sit here and cry while we can try to help?" "Well no but…" Once again Elsa snatched my arm and we ran towards the towers. I'd never been a good runner, but I ran the eight blocks to the tower in full stride without even thinking about it. All I could think about was Mother and Father, pinned in the upper part of the tower and very near a fate that I couldn't bear to think of. We'd finally reached the towers, but the path to the base was blocked by firefighters and police.
"I don't care that they don't want people in at the base, I want to get up there and get Father and Mother out!"
"Elsa that's suicide! We can't get up there! The elevators are most likely busted and the stairs will take too long and the tower will collapse!"
"If you don't care enough about your family to risk your life for them then fine, but I'm going to go save them." Elsa got into a crouch and used the cars as cover against the law enforcement as she snuck closer. I couldn't let her go in there alone though. I was soon right behind her. After what felt like hours we finally made it to the front of the barrage of cars. Elsa sat me down and had the "older sister" look, so I knew she was being serious about this.
"Alright Anna, I'm gonna count to three, and we're gonna make a break to the entrance of the North Tower to head upstairs. On three. One...two..." And the countdown finished with an ear deafening explosion from above. The upper part of the South Tower collapsed. Elsa and I stood with our mouths agape, unable to move as we saw the building - and essentially our parents - crumble to the ground. All I remember was seeing the first impact of the concrete and a chunk of it coming towards me, and then everything went black.
I woke to a couple firm slaps from Elsa. I was still groggy, but Elsa was furiously digging at the rubble of the North Tower. I rubbed my eyes and stood up, and I couldn't believe what I saw. Both towers were absolutely demolished. When I'd gotten a hold of what happened I began to help Elsa through the rubble. We moved what we could, but we had finally reached a thick piece of concrete that we just couldn't move. Without missing a beat, a firefighter stopped his digging and helped move that last piece. I almost wished he hadn't. Underneath that piece of concrete was a broken and disfigured face that I knew was my father's. Neither of us could move. Not only had our father died, but we knew our mother couldn't have escaped that same fate. With a shaky hand I removed a small piece of rubble next to Father's face, and I saw Mother's face. I rested my head in between theirs and I broke down. As I continued to cry I noticed that Elsa wasn't next to me anymore. I glanced up and saw that she was walking away from the wreckage. I ran after her trying to stop her but she ignored me and trudged on. Instead of opposing at that point I decided to just follow her. What felt like a century passed, and we finally arrived back home. Elsa and I walked up the stairs to her room, but I got the door shut coldly in my face. I knocked and asked her to open up. No response. I knocked again and begged her to open up. Still no response. My parents had died, my sister shut me out, and I was all alone on the worst day in my life.