September 11th (standard:non fiction, 2301 words)
Author: PeachiePie	Added: Jan 19 2003	Views/Reads: 3315/2328	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
A story of two young lives trapped in one of the twin towers on Sept 11th. This is a true story but I will call them Joe and Aleshia. They were directly under the floor where the plane hit but I will put them on the 94th floor.

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story

come from”? 

I said, “The 94th”. 

He said, “You must be exhausted, you have came 50 floors, let me carry
your friend for a while”? 

When she heard him say this, she clutched me tighter and begins to cry.
I said, “Thank you Sir but I promised her I would get her out and I am 
going to do it. 

The Fireman asked, “Son, how much do you weigh”? 

I said, “180 lbs.”. 

He said, “You are packing over100 lbs., Now I will make both of you a
promise. I am going to lead you down to the street. If I have to I will 
pack you both out. Keep your face covered lady and son follow me”. 

Soon we made it to the street and the Fireman pointed down the street
and said “Keep going that direction and don't turn back. You will find 
a ambulance down that way and they will take care of your burns”. 

I asked the Fireman, “Where are you going”? 

He said, “Back toward the 94th floor”. 

I begged him not to go but he said, “The people up there need help”. He
said, “Go and take care of your friend. Watch your step, there is glass 
& soot ankle deep in the street”. 

I didn't put the young girl down. It was all we could do was breath.  I
just told her to keep my shirt over your mouth; I will have to carry 
you because you can't walk in this mess. 

Than a man approached us and said, “Hurry, these buildings are coming
down, everyone is got to clear out of here”. 

I said, “Come with us”? 

He said, “No! You take your friend, I have to stay”. 

Finally police officer stopped us and said. “Son I have to get you in
one of these Ambulances, you have second and third degree burns on your 
hands and face”. 

He stopped one and the driver said, “I have room for only one. The
officer tried to pull the girl from my arms but she wouldn't let go. I 
told her you must let go and get in this ambulance”. 

She let go and the police office held her and he said, “You don't
understand son the girl stays here, You have to go and take care of 
those burns”. 

I put my arms around the young lady and I said to the officer. “Please
Sir, Let her have my seat, I promised her I would take care of her, I 
will take the next ambulance”.  She begin to cry, I said, “Please go, I 
will find out what hospital this ambulance is going to and I will come 
there and check on you”.  I asked,  “What is your name”? 

Through her tears I heard her say, “Aleshia”? 

I said, “My name is Joe”. 

The driver had written a name of a hospital on a paper.  He said, “You
will find her here”. They left with her in tears. 

The officer told me,  “Keep heading down the street, there was more
ambulances on the way”. 

Soon one spotted me and he stopped. I got in and before we could get
turned the radio was instructing him to hurry to the foot of the 
towers. There were a lot of injured people. 

He told me, “I will go back and get some more people, I have to haul
more than just one”.  I said you don't understand, you can't go there 
the buildings are going to fall”. 

He said, “I have to go”. 

I said, “Please let me out, I can't go back there”. 

He stopped and I got out and continued on down the street.  Soon again
another officer found me and said, “I have to get you to the hospital, 
you have some bad burns”. 

I named the hospital the ambulance had taken my new friend to and
requested to go there. That is where he taken me. The next day a nurse 
awakened me. I had bandages on my cheeks, hands and feet.  I can 
remember reaching and calling out Aleshia's name.  I had lost her, “Oh 
dear God she is gone”! 

I can remember a nurse very softly saying, “Joe. Aleshia is fine”.  Very
gently she touched my shoulder and asked,  “Please wake up and I will 
take you to her. She said that's where I am taking you now. All she 
knew was your first name and she has begged her doctors along with her 
Mom & Dad to find you and bring you to her room.  She needs a lot of 
counseling, so the Doctors has decided it might be better to council 
you both together”. 

Soon I was in her room, Her Mom & Dad rushed to me with open arms, but
the nurse said, “It may be painful if you stand”. Right at this minute 
pain didn't matter. Both together hugged and thanked me over & over 
again. I asked, “May I see her”? 

They said, “Of course”.  With one on each side of me they walked me to
her bed. 

The Doctors and Councilor softly said to her, “Open your eyes Aleshia,
We promised you he was OK and he is here to see you”. Slowly she opened 
her eyes and than burst into tears. I had to hold her just one more 
time. 

Her Mom & Dad released my arms and said, “Hold her, she needs to know
your are OK”. 

I put my arms around her and I said, “Don't worry about me, I want to
apologize to you for taking you through all the flames. I know you have 
to have some bad burns”. 

She said, “Know”!  “She touched my bandages and said I caused you to be
burned”. 

Than the councilor said, “Mom and Dad you set close by the bed with us.
We are all going to talk about what happened together. When we are 
finished it will feel better. It will take some time to get over this 
but talk will make us feel better. 

The councilor said, “Son, Aleshia has no burns. What you see is no more
than sunburn. In a few days all that will be gone.  Aleshia, if it's OK 
with you and your Mom & Dad I am going to pull down your cover and let 
him see for himself”. 

Before anyone could speak Aleshia turned back the cover. The Councilor
said, “You see, there is no burns. Her legs, stomach, her arms and 
neck. They are just a little pink. That will disappear”. She said, 
“Aleshia turn over and show him your back. You see no burns on her 
legs, or her back”. She said, “I don't understand how you got her 
through all the heat and flames without one little burn”? 

Aleshia said, “I knew when we were approaching fire, I could feel Joe's
arms tighten around me and I would bury my face in Joe neck and 
shoulder as close as I could. I felt him pull my legs up to him and he 
shielded me with his body and his coat until it burnt up”. 

The councilor asked Joe, “What did you use to cover your mouth and nose
while you went through the smoke and soot”? 

Joe answered, “I don't remember”. 

The councilor said, “I will tell you and I want you both to listen very
closely. By the grace of God only did you escape that building? Joe, 
you used Aleshia's hair as a mask. Her long hair saved your life.  
Aleshia. Joe's silk shirt, his neck and face saved your life.  Joe you 
packed Aleshia down 94 flights of stairs and than for two more city 
blocks until he found you an ambulance. He gave you his seat because he 
promised you he would get you out and he did. Aleshia you promised Joe 
you would find him in this hospital and thanks to you half this staff, 
they went through this hospital looking for a Joe with burns on his 
hands. After about 75 Joe's with hand burns we found the right one. Now 
the last thing I have to tell you is the most painful of all".She 
said,"Joe lay beside Aleshia just for a minute. You two are going to 
need each other just one more time”. 

Than the councilor softly said, “The Fireman you met in the fire exit
didn't make it out”. 

Joe and Aleshia both broke down in tears. Aleshia's Mom & Dad clutched
both of them as they held each other and wept. 

The Councilor said, “The Policeman and Building engineer you met out
side on the street, they didn't make it out.  Each of the ambulances 
you rode in, those drivers didn't make it either. Hold each other as 
long as you like and never forget that God put two young lives together 
and you could have been two of the 5000 or more people but God said 
no”. 

Continued   The Day After    Chapter Two 


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