Remembering.
By Hiddnleaf.
Theme song- Rainymood – Still Alive - youtube repeat .com/watch/?v=QCcJGxZtn9A & repeat .com/watch?v=AYw7eJYadco at the same time. (take out the spaces)
Well, this is a story for those who gave their lives on 9-11.It is okay to be sad. It is always okay to remember.Remembering. (This story is about all characters, and a few work at the twin towers)
Kiba-7:22a.m. 9/11/01
"See ya Hun!" I say as I give Ino a kiss on the cheek
"Don't worry, I'll just be a little late today..." She said as she ate her breakfast.
"Love you!" I said, just to reassure her. She's been on edge lately. She works up the block, so no rush for her.
"Love you too" she said with a smile and a bit of cereal on her lips.
I jump out the door and land on a crack in the sidewalk. I step onto the crooked concrete and begin my walk to work. You never know what shows up on your way to work. Once I saw a clown, dressed up, giving a free balloon to a crying child who just had a bad day. I've seen a costume party going for a stroll, a dozen kids following a teenager who was beat boxing, and a little of everything. That's why I just can't get enough of New York.
I get on the subway and try to find a small place to sit. I get a standing spot instead. Whatever. All I do is stand at the place anyways. I'm the guy who sells the coffee to the three thousand workers. You have no idea how much coffee I go through.
I slump down in my seat and see the skyline go by. The trees of central, and the buildings with thousands of people, all starring up at the twin towers. They just seem to glimmer at the peak of each one. Every day I got to work, I still look up in the air, looking how giant they are. I have around half an hour till my shift starts,it starts at 9:00, so I go up to the top floor to see the tourist floor. I love just going up and watching the confused people try to point out landmarks. I know where they all are, so I show them myself. I guess I'm a half tour guide.
Shino- 7:34a.m. 9/11/01
The old porch I was sitting on was not enough. Every day I tell myself that I have to keep going. Get a bigger house. A better car. I don't know. I'm just sick of this. All of this. Soon, I'm going to move where nobody is. At all. So I can finally get some peace.
I get up out of the half broken chair of my foster home, after my parents were killed, and I jog down to the subway. I see thousands of people, going on their everyday lives. Nobody knows me, and for the life of me, I could care less. I guess it's all changed after they died. I could've at least said I love you the day they died. But I didn't. I would give my heart away if I could go back in time and say that; I think about it every day. Legally I can leave today, and be counted as an adult. But I guess they're the only family I have left. Have to keep them close.
The crowded subway was taking me to my dreaded job as a office assistant, on the 83rd floor, and I work for a big group, that says they care for all they're employees, but I know for a fact that that's not true. I know that my boss treats me like crap. But you know what? I don't care. I'm going to make it through this day, even If it kills me.
Neji- 8:32A.m. 9/11/01
I see Tenten at the office and sit down next to her. 94th floor and still a great view. Every time I come up to these business meetings I get a small tear in my eye because of how small people are from way up here. Businesses must pay top dollar for this view for a meeting. I must be in for a treat.
"Hello Tenten. What are we here for today?" I say as business-like as possible. This is all business.
"Well, not too much, just talking about a new company structure, just the usual..." She said, looking tired. She's usually tired. I guess she's not really all too cut out for this business. She yawned and I gave her my responds.
"Well, you look kinda tired... are you sure that you should be here? I mean I think that you should have A bit more sleep. What did you do last night?" I say with a straight face.
"Oh... Just gave a few friends a ride home at two in the morning. They know I don't turn my phone off when I sleep, so I guess they take advantage of me, but I guess I let them. They're some of the best people I know. You should party with us sometime!" She said, a little less tired.
"Well... me and partying don't go well together. I must say." I look out the window. I see a large plane, and it's beautiful. It's flying right above the city. I say that the passengers are in for a treat, looking at the beautiful skyline.
Naruto—8:12 a.m. 9/11/01
Never give up. Never go back on your word. I say to myself as I climb up the stairs, saying that i's climb the stairs up to the 23th floor if I lost the bet to Sasuke. And guess what? I lost. I gripe to myself, saying that this is not the way I'm going back down. I get to the final step, and open the door. The business people are typing away on their computers, running around like chickens with their heads cut off to finish a deadline.
I guess this is the reason I became a counselor. Take care of all the people's problems, and sometimes I guess it just gets me down. But people also bring me up too. Sakura works on the 30th floor, and I spend almost too much time with her. She's my best friend, and someday I know I'll marry her. I know I will.
The day starts off the same, with a bunch of papers, reading glasses, and a loose tie. Apparently Mr. Jowes and Miss Clorẻ have been flirting. Big whoop? But I guess the company doesn't like that. So I sit in my small office, with two seats in front of me, and two people in those chairs. They didn't look like they'd be the flirty types. Big glasses, polos and khakis. The uniform, I guess. My suit feels small as I begin to read what I have to, just the same as yesterday. The same as everyday.
"Dear Mr. Jowes and Miss Clorẻ, I have been informed that you two are having flirtatious and other sorts of talk, other than work. Do you two know what the policy for this company is?" The both shake their head yes "Well, then you should probably stop. This is your first warning, and I have to reassign you to your new cubicles on opposite ends from each other." I say, looking down at my papers, looking much older than I really am. I hate this job. I just can't wait till today ends.
"Hey... Look, I get it that were suppose to move our stuff to another cubicle, but isn't that plane getting a little close?" Mr. Jowes says with a slight disapproving look on his face, and I look out the window. The plane is getting close, but it'll move.
"Oh, it'll move. Don't worry. I'll help you guys move if you need it. I need to call someone soon." I suddenly remember why I was thinking about Sakura. We're suppose to meet up tonight at Hijackked! The Eatery, a really nice bar that Me and her go to a lot, just to talk. I dial in the phone, and start talking about what time I should pick her up.
Sakura- 8:45 a.m. 9/11/01
I get a call from my best friend, as he knows I'm 7 floors away from him, and I chat it up.
"... So wait! You're going to pick me up at 8:00? ok! See ya when you get there... So how's your day been so far?" I said with a fairly happy voice.
"Well, had to tell some lovebirds to knock it off, but I guess that's not as bad as a depression case. Hows yours?" He asked in sincerity. He's so sweet. I can't stand if I had to live a day without him.
Suddenly my desk jolted into my stomach, and the entire building seemed to shift. The entire office was in dissoray. Screams started, and everyone was asking what was going on. The world turned upside down for me. Papers everywhere, computer monitors turned black, people fell over, cabinets shook, all that could go wrong, went wrong. I thought we just had a major earthquake. "What the hell was that! Did you feel it!" I asked a stupid question. I'm in a mental state where anything could happen. I just wanted to see everything turn off, all the alarms, all the screaming.
"Holy fucking shit." I hear naruto say out bluntly. This isn't like him. He's usually cool, and business like whenever he's at work. I hear screams from his floor on the phone too. "Sakura, I need you to listen to me. I think we just got hit by a plane."
Neji- 8:45 A.M. 9/11/01
Well then. That sure was an interesting conversation about parties. I sit down in my office chair and get out my notes on the meeting. It's all about the way the company is laid out; we have to cut out a whole department, and re-purpose them somewhere else. Our company is sure that they don't want to kick the bucket for some of these people, hard working people. They are all that we got. And we need them, and they need us.
I get ready, and Shikamaru stood up, in front of his power point presentation. It was blue and white, just like the sky. It started out as a boring speech, about ways to cut, but It turned faster paced after about a minute. I look across the table, and see the plane again. Except this time it was much closer. Much much closer. I get up, and started to back up.
"Neji. Sit down. Shika worked hard on this." Tenten whispered, pulling on my cuff of my suit. I tug my hand away, and point at the plane. My eyes started tearing up; crying more than I've ever seen before. I am a man of hard feeling and business. And I was crying. Everyone was staring at me, as I was making a scene. I point one finger at the window, shaking uncontrollably, and still sobbing. Everyone turned around and a saw a great white nose of a plane headed straight for our heads. I burned my eyes on the tinted windows, but was able to see two people in the front seat, and they weren't wearing pilot hats.
The first plane hit the building at 8:46:30A.M. The plane entered the building precisely on floors 93-99. It hit the emergency stairwell, and anyone above the crash couldn't escape.
Kiba- 8:43 A.M. 9/11/01
It seemed some nice looking females needed my help. They tapped me on the shoulder, and said. "Where is Grand Central Station? We really need to know, cause we want to take a picture... oh Danni is going to love this! Okay, can you take the picture? I think you won't be able to see it, but I just want a picture of the general area. Kay? Omigosh this is so much fun!" Said the 15 year old with her friend, they tugged on each other and brought themselves over to the window they thought Grand Central was.
"Well ladies, not to burst your bubble, but I gotta get going. It's almost time for my shift to start." I said, trying to back away,
"Wait? Your not paid? Well... Here's a ten. Take it and take our picture... PLEASE?" She sounded so excited. I look my watch, and I guess I had two minutes.
"Ok, fine. Just hurry up." I say with a smile. I go to the other side of the building, which is quiet a walk with the girls, and set them right next to central station. "Ohh! I'd love to live here! I can't wait till I can live here!" She almost started screaming. I took the picture, and looked at the LCD screen, and gasped.
"What is it? I don't think we look that ugly!" she said, ripping the camera from my hands. I raise a finger, starring at the window, pointing my finger uncontrollably. I instantly pile on the tears and start crying. "What's wrong! I don't understand!" She looked at the window, and dropped the camera. Her scream pitched through my mind and wrung like a gong. The camera hit the floor, and was laying on the side. The girls had what they wanted. A picture of Grand Central. But they got much more than that. They got a picture of a plane hitting the biggest building in the world, the World Trade Center.
Ino—8:48 A.M. 9/11/01
My cell phone rings in my pocket as I'm walking to the little green building on the end of the block. Awe, Kiba's gonna call me before he starts? Cute...
"Hey Kibbies!" I say, smiling because he's the best husband in the world.
"Ino. I need you to listen to me." He's really dark. I've never heard this from him. He's possibly in trouble, but I have no idea. I hear screams from people around him. "yes?" I say back, scared, to him letting him speak. I stop walking, and stare at the sidewalk.
"A plane crashed into the North Tower. The building is shaking. All the alarms are going off. The stairs are jammed packed. I don't think I'll get out." He said, obviously in distress. I can see his tears roll down his check, and I look towards the tower, to make sure this isn't some sort of sick joke. It's true. Smoke is coming out, and debris is everywhere. A big cloud is all over the area, and I know that he's at the top. He loves being a tour guide. If only he left late today... I start crying.
"KIBA. You listen to me! You get down! I don't care if it means that other people parish. I need you. I need you more than anything. You can't leave me like this." I say, tears falling down my face.
"I know Honey. I know you need me. I need you to stay put. I can't let anything happen to you. I just can't- I know I can't. You listen to me. The stairs are full. Someone is telling people to jump. The stairs are broken, with a gapping hole apparently at the 99th floor. I'm going to stay put. I can't do this. You stay there. You don't do anything. I'm not going down. I can't. Other people come first. I've never been enough for you. I just can't do this. I love you. I love you. I love you." He's speaking at a mile a minute. This is the real deal. He's not coming home today. He's not coming home today. I start crying uncontrollably. And my knees give out. I can't do this alone. I need him.
"NO! I can't do this either! You find a different way out! Please! I'm begging you! Anything!" I say, screaming now. I'm in such blurred vision that I can't see anything. Nothing is making sense, and I collapse to my knees, kneeling on the sidewalk. People are starring at me, and I point to the tower. They all stare and some drop to their knees and pray. I've never been much of a religious person, but I knew that I had to do something.
"I can't come home. I'm sorry. I love you." I can see his head in shame, knowing that he's gonna be gone.
"Kiba, please listen.. I wanna see you again. I need to. Come back home. I need you. Please." I say in-between sobs.
"I can't. I love you." He said, and I face the reality. Kiba's not coming home. Not ever, not now.
"I love you too." I say, and burst out in a fit of sobs. I can't hear, see, or do anything. I'm a helpless wreck. I drop my phone, and see out of the corner of my eye that it hung up. I will never see him ever again. I won't be seeing at home tonight. Please tell me there's something I can do. Anything.
The stairs filled with smoke, and people mistakenly went up onto the roof, thinking that there would be a helicopter to rescue them. The helicopter never came.
Naruto 8:49 A.M. 9/11/01
I escort people down the stairwell, helping all of the older senior executives down. I was about the only calm one there. I take one step at a time, and cram in like sardines. "HEY! EVERYONE WILL GET DOWN! PLEASE ENTER SLOWLY! NO MORE FOR NOW! I WILL TELL YOU WHEN MORE PEOPLE WILL FIT!" I yell at the top of my lungs. I look up and someone is standing, holding the doorway closed.
"YOU HEARD HIM, WHEN HE SAYS GO, WE GET TO GO!" a random person at the top of the stairs held the door shut.
"NO! I WILL GO NOW!" I heard a person say, and a big thump, as if someone hit the person, and the door swung open. The unconscious person with a cabinet drawer on his head, fell down the stairs, and people screamed as they sprinted down the stairs, until they ran into the mob. They squished the people, and it was chaos. The elderly fell down, some never to get up again. People still swarmed the stairs. I found myself thinking of one thing. Sakura. I will make it down, for her. For her. I walked slowly, down all 23 floors, just the same as I came up. I knew that I'd make it.
A bunch of firefighters came up, as the sea of people spread to help them get through. A bunch reached an arm out for hope. They knew they were the bravest souls in the world to come up like that. The stairs were filled with smoke, and the crowd of people stopped screaming when they saw them. It was orderly. We were moving much faster. Smoke was all over the place, charring everything. The building was defiantly going to come down. We had to hurry.
The shaking was still so intense that people were falling down, but now people had the sense to grab them, take them back up, and have them follow the lead firefighter that was leading us all out of the building. The stairs were no more. We went into the hallway, and found nothing. A small group of people decided to jump. I could see that other people were jumping, but from much higher. Much higher. We found a hole in the ground, and decided to jump down that. The fireman helped us all through that 4 foot hole, down one level. It was beginning to get hard to breathe in there. I went, jumped, and sprinted to the lobby stairs. I almost stumble on the rubble, but manage to make my way to the broken front doors. I was out.
Shino- 9:03 9/11/01
I was on the 77th floor, and the stairs were gone. Not much could happen. The group of people that I hated just stood there. We all looked at the ground, and said their prayers, and called their family. I guess I should've said something also. So I did.
"Well guys, I have a few words to say. Most of us aren't going to make it. I realize that. But we can't just live like this. There is always something out there. My parents are gone. I have nobody. I need to keep looking up. But at this moment it's extremely hard. I know that. You all know that. I think This should be the last company meeting. One last hurrah for everyone. I know it may seem stupid, but I think we should make a giant poster, and see if people can read it from the streets. Saying that were not going down without a fight. Everyone grab 5 markers. We grabbed the giant roll of paper, and wrote in scribbles and tears.
The team hugged each other, for one last time, and held up the poster to the windows, which were completely out done by smoke, but we didn't care. There was more smoke in our lunges than air, but we didn't care. We're a unit. A family unit. And I'd die to save every last one of them. Most of them are parents of kids, and have a spouse. They all know that they weren't gonna be rescued. That they will never see their family ever again. But they mean more to me than I realized. I held hands, and everyone else started too. We couldn't see across the circle because of the smoke, but we didn't care. We were a family unit, and were not going down without a fight.
At 9:03A.M. Flight 175 hit at 590 mph into the South Tower. Millions of people saw the crash live.
We Are America. We aren't going down without a fight. This is more to this story than America. This is more than the building. Over 3,000 children lost a parent from the attacks. I'm not one of them, so I'll never know the pain. Ever.
A/N: well. Extremely sad story, but I hope that it gives you hope that there is something to do, and people to save, when disaster strikes. People all the time need to learn that the world has changed. Changed for the better, or the worst. I don't know which. But I know I've changed the way you view the trade center attacks. Keep on remembering. Hiddnleaf – Out!