It was total chaos. People were fleeing everywhere, and Alex had never been so confused in his life. Should he run upstairs? Should he run downstairs? He didn't know what to do; all he knew was that he wanted to go home. Home. Columbus, Ohio. He could remember all the times that he'd sworn that he would never return, but now nothing would give him greater comfort. His mom. His dad. Mallory and Jennifer. And then there was Andy. Andy still idolized his brother, and they were the best of friends. Andy could no longer be convinced to don a tie and suit to school, but they got along mainly due to their love of one constant- Alex. He couldn't' leave Andy like this. Visions of a grieving Andy flashed through his mind, and he couldn't help but wonder what would happen to him if something happened to Alex today. He had no idea of what was happening, but he knew that he had to make it through.
It was getting awfully hot in that building. People were screaming, he looked over and saw his boss Natalie trapped under her desk. He couldn't leave her like that. Always looking for an angle, he briefly wondered if he would get that promotion he'd been asking about if he saved her, but then he perished the thougth to the back of his mind, alogn with his family. He knew what he had to do.
Just as he started to pry her from her desk, removing rubble and dust as much as he could, he looked out the window.
Oh my God. They are jumping. People are actually jumping. What will I do? I can't save anyone or I'll be left to jump as well. Oh my God what do I do?
Natalie looked up at him and Alex knew what he had to do. He had to get her out of there. There was no way there would be two more jumpers if he had anything to say about it. Using every bit of strength he had, he pushed the desk aside, and pulled her hand up, hoping she was able to stand. Fortunately for her she could, and then she started to run. Wisely, he did the same.
Not the elevators. A person could … a person just can't use the elevators. Eleven floors…how am I supposed to run that?
He grabbed the handle of the door only to pull away, it was burning hot. He looked over at the window and saw a couple holding hands fly by him, so he grabbed a chair and broke down the door. He wasn't prepared for what he saw on the other side.
There in his uniformed glory was a firefighter, who quickly grabbed Natalie and started to yell at Alex.
"Get the hell out of here! Go. Get going!"
"But there are more people inside…" Alex protested.
"Now!"
Looking behind him briefly, Alex was pushed through the doorway, and he knew what he had to do. He had to get out. It was terrible, the heat and the smoke and the debris, and the people…oh the people, but somehow Alex used all of his strength to make it downstairs. Finally, outside, an EMT took him aside and checked him over.
"You okay, pal?"
"I don't know. I don't know. There are people inside!" Alex screamed.
"I'll get there as soon as I can. You have to leave…go as far away as possible as you can. Go on."
Alex started to run for his life, as if his life depended on every single instinct that had begun to kick in. Finally, a few blocks later, he allowed himself to stop to take a breath. But when he turned around to look back, he saw a sight that would haunt him for the rest of his life.