A/N: Here's chapter 2! I appreciate all of your reviews!
Glad you like the storyline!
Now, this chapter may seem a little rushed, but honestly, did you want me to describe, in detail, the descending of 50 flights of stairs? I just highlighted the major events as they would have been heard/seen in the North Tower.
Disclaimer: I don't own CM.
"Everyone listen up!" yelled a man who had been standing below the TV. He was a senior at the company, and had been working at the Trade Center for nearly 10 years.
"We need to evacuate! Grab your phones! If you're wearing heels, take them off! The elevator is out of service, so we'll have to take the stairs! Let's go!"
Grabbing her phone from the pocket of her jacket, JJ silently thanked whatever being had influenced her not to wear heels on that particular day.
Following just behind Rosie, she left the office floor, heading towards the elevator shaft. Next to the elevator were three flights of stairs.
Already, there were people pouring down the stairs from the upper floors. Some were covered in dust and dirt. Some were bleeding. Others looked unharmed, just shaken up.
"How bad do you think it is?" JJ asked softly, leaning over Rosie's shoulder as they entered the slowly moving throng of people rushing down the stairs.
"I don't know. All I know is I have never felt this building shake like that. Not even in high winds," Rosie replied gently. With a soft smile, she took JJ's hand, hoping they could offer a sense of reassurance to each other.
"It's going to take forever to get out. There's two flights of stairs between each floor, and with this many people-"
"We'll get out, JJ. I'm sure it's just a precaution anyway. The top floors are where the danger is," Rosie said reassuringly as they reached Floor 50.
"I sure hope so," JJ sighed, looking down at her watch. 15 minutes had passed since the supposed plane crash.
As they descended through the next flight of stairs, another loud boom was heard. It was louder than the first, suggesting it was closer. Screams rang out from above them, followed by the clatter of debris and another loud explosion.
"What was that?" JJ asked anxiously. She'd been calm at first, when the plane first hit the tower, but now...panic was starting to set in.
"It's ok. It's probably something upstairs. Don't worry," Rosie said softly. "Don't worry"
After the second explosion of noise, the descent through each floor had been relatively uneventful. JJ had stayed calm after the first wave of panic, managing to keep a light conversation going with Rosie. Some people were staying calm, simply moving quickly and efficiently through each flight of stairs. Others were in panicked states, especially those who had come down injured from the upper floors.
It had been almost an hour and they had only reached Floor 26. People were tiring out, but were eager to get out of the tower and find out what on earth was going on. Some people with contacts outside the tower had informed everyone that the South Tower had also been struck by a plane; that was the second explosion.
JJ had been glancing at her watch every few floors, and was amazed at the amount of time it was taking to descend the tower. In the entire time she'd been at the World Trade Center, she'd always taken the elevator. Never had she been put in a situation where she needed to use the stairs.
It was approaching 10am. JJ, while devastated that a plane had crashed into the tower, was relieved that at least for one day, she didn't have to face the mountain of paperwork. As they kept going, there were muttered conversations about terrorism. JJ worked hard to block those out. She just wanted to get out, go home, and call her family.
Still following slightly behind Rosie, JJ opened her mouth to speak to her friend when a low rumbling began to fill their ears.
Everyone in the stairwell stopped, looking up expectantly. The rumbling got louder and louder. Debris could be seen raining down through the windows.
And then out of nowhere, the top of the South Tower went sailing past the window, crushing the rest of it into the ground.
"Oh my god," JJ gasped, as did most of the people around her.
"We need to get out! If the South collapsed, ours will too!" someone above them screamed.
"Everyone stay calm! Proceed down to the lobby!"
Hearts beating fast, the descent down the remaining floors had continued, but in a slightly more rushed state. They had passed countless fire fighters who were trying to get up to the impact floors to see if there were any survivors they could help.
JJ was in a daze. Someone had attacked the World Trade Center. An icon on New York, a symbol for America. The city she'd come to know and love was under attack.
It was as she and Rosie reached the level above the lobby that she heard it.
The unmistakeable rumble coming from above them.
"Oh god," Rosie gasped, grabbing JJ's hand and pulling her down through the last flight of stairs.
"We have to get out!" JJ yelled as the rumbling grew louder. Dust and debris was raining down through the air vents, lights were flickering, glass was smashing. The tower itself was shaking violently.
As they reached the ground floor, they joined the throng of people running, screaming, fighting to get out of the North Tower before it hit the ground.
Somewhere in the chaos, JJ lost Rosie's hand. She was starting to panic as she ran. It was getting darker as dust rained down on the streets of New York. The concrete pillars in the lobby were starting to collapse.
In a split second, JJ realised she wasn't going to make it to the exit.
Changing course, she ran towards a fire escape door. Barrelling through it, she saw the elevator shaft.
"The freight elevator shaft is the strongest component of the North Tower"
Diving into it as the remains of the Tower rained down on top of her, JJ covered her head with her arms, squeezed her eyes shut, and screamed in fear.