September 11, 2001 @ 7:41 am
Aiyana woke suddenly, her heart pounding from her dream from the night before. Reaching up, she gripped her chest through her night shirt, the sun barely peaking through the curtains in her small, Manhatten apartment. It was morning, early morning to be exact but in New York, there were always people awake. Always people moving. Glancing at the clock, she read the time and sighed, pushing her fingers through her hair as she got out of bed, making her way towards the bathroom to wash her face and wake up. It was just another morning, one that Aiyana, also known as officer Scott, was glad to have off. Working for the NYPD, the job was never done and there were more hours spent at work than at home. It was how her life worked and she was used to it.
A quick shower was enough to wash off the night from before, the dream evading her mind just as quickly as it had appeared. She stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around her and sighed, grabbing her comb off the counter and picking through her long hair as she headed into the her living room. Turning on the television to the morning news, she walked into to the kitchen to grab some coffee in hopes it would give her a boost but there was none in the container. Figuring she would grab some on her way to the library, she grabbed a glass of water instead. The news started up.
8:00 am
"Good morning Manhattan! It is a beautiful day today in the big city and it seems everyone is awake this morning. Blue skies and clear, looks like it will be a good forecast today!" The news anchor spoke loudly over the speakers of her TV and Aiyana smirked, the cheerful greeting a bit too much for her ears. She headed back into her bathroom to finish her hair and get ready, letting the news play in the background as stories from around the states played. Simple things. The stock, kidnappings, new store openings, the usual for NYC. Aiyana focused on getting dressed, suddenly realizing how badly she wanted that coffee. She finished getting ready shortly after, pulling her hair back into a ponytail and not messing much with her make up. After throwing on some clothes, she headed out the door with her keys in hand.
8:24 am
Aiyana headed down 6th Avenue towards a small coffee shop just a few blocks from her apartment. She was reached it, heading inside and off the busy sidewalks, greeting a couple fellow officers who had stopped for coffee as well. Smiling, she lifted her hand in a wave as a greeting, heading in line that formed at the counter.
"Hey Scott! Day off?" asked one of the officers, Shepard, a partner she had worked with multiple times. Smiling, she nodded.
"Yeah, just grabbing some coffee. Thinking about going to the library to look up some stuff for online classes.." she stated softly. The two officers in front of her laughed and smiled at each other.
"You know you are an over achiever. Don't know how you make time for all that.." stated officer Lions, his thick jersey accent making Aiyana smile.
"Yeah well, gotta have some sort of life outside the force right?' she asked and they agreed with another short laugh.
The news played overhead on a small TV. It was simple more cheerful talk and Aiyana looked away, hoping the line would move a bit faster. Meanwhile, she commenced in small talk with the officers about work and politics. It wasn't exciting but it did pass the time. Finally, it was her turn to order and she got a simple cup of joe. The other officers stood aside, waiting for her as she got her drink and paid before heading outside with them.
"Chief says it may not be an exciting day today. Probably more standing around.." said Shepard as he sipped his java. Lions nodded in agreement and Aiyana smirked.
"Don't tell me you aren't used to that already?" she asked, glancing around the streets.
"Nah, just hoping for a short day. Told my wife I would take her out to dinner tonight. Something fancy.." he said and Lions smirked.
"He is tryin' to make a good impression on her since their fight." he said and Shepard shook his head.
"Whatever man, I told you it was nothin' serious.." Aiyana ignored their small argument, turning to say good-bye but a strange sound overhead caught her attention. Turning, she saw it. A plane.
8:46 am
The plane smashed into the north tower of the world trade center, sending debris and glass everywhere as smoke billowed into the sky. Everyone, including Aiyana ducked their heads, the sound of the collision booming through the air. Shepard and Lions stood up straight, hands on their head in awe as Aiyana stood, shocked.
"What the? Did you see that?!" Lions called out and Aiyana went to speak when masses of screams were heard from the base of the towers and the streets were filled with running people. It didn't take long before sirens were heard and as Aiyana looked around, it seemed everyone was dialing 9-1-1. The sound of radios went off and Shepard and Lions answered. They were calling all units in the area. Shepard looked to Aiyana as Lions headed towards the scene in a rush.
"You coming?" he asked and Aiyana nodded, tossing aside the coffee as she and Shepard followed Lions to the site.
8:57 am
Police cars and fire trucks lined the streets as people stood in a state of shock and panic. Chief of police had already arrived on the scene along with dozens of officers as they tried to direct traffic and people away from the building. It was clear that this was going to cause mass chaos and panic and they had to control the situation. As Shepard, Lions, and Scott reached the building, officers were already being sent in. The Chief sent the two officers into the building, telling them to clear out and evacuate people from the tower as others from the south tower were exiting, confused as to what was going on. Scott looked to the Chief quickly.
"Sir! Let me help! What can I do?" she asked.
"No, you need to get out of here! he directed but Aiyana shook her head no.
"Let me help, please! What can I do? I am not leaving!"The Chief seemed to feel torn but decided against his first order.
"Help people get away from this site. It is dangerous. We have got glass and pieces of metal falling everywhere." he announced, a bit louder so she could hear over all the commotion. She nodded, wasting no time as she headed down the street a few hundred yards, helping people onto the sidewalks and instructing them to head away from the towers. Reaching up, she tied her hair back into a bun, wondering how on earth the firemen would reach a fire that high as they headed inside to help. But it wasn't until a person screamed to look up that Aiyana realized something was wrong.
9:03 am
The second tower was hit, the explosion sending shock waves of panic into the streets. People began to run too and fro, paying little to no attention to the officers in the streets. Aiyana just stared up at the sky as smoke rose above them. Screams to watch out were shouted her way just as Shepard grabbed her arm, pulling her back from the spot she was standing in as glass rained down on the street. She snapped out of it, her eyes wide as Shepard looked at her sternly.
"Hey!! Scott, snap the hell out of it. We need your help! People are trapped inside, we gotta get em' out!" he said loudly over the screamed. A woman nearby tripped and Aiyana and Shepard moved, helping her to her feet as she sobbed uncontrollably.
"I was instructed to wait here!" she said but Shepard shook his head.
"I need you, lets go!" he said loudly.
Aiyana rushed through the streets back up to the building, debris barely missing her. Shepard led her to a nearby car, supplying her a jacket and boots which she quickly put on. Thankfully, they both fit. Heading inside, she began to help instruct people to leave the building as they headed for the small escalators in the lobby that led to the elevators. Shepard tried the button for them but the power supply had been cut off from the collision. Lions, standing at the base of a stairwell nearby shouted to them both.
"They don't work! Gotta take the stairs guys!" Shepard and Aiyana wasted no time, heading towards the stairs along with fireman to ascend to higher floors.
9:27 am
The buildings rumbled with small explosions and Aiyana trembled, her hands shaking uncontrollably as they stopped to catch their breath at the 19th floor. People passed them, heading down to safety, many burned or cut, blood and dust lining their clothes. She leaned over the bars, looking up at the stairwell before looking to Shepard.
"Let's keep going." she said before continuing up the stairs. Radios sounded off as officers in the south tower commented on the progress but there wasn't much. The higher that they went, the more people they ran into from the higher floors that had managed to escape. Some were crying, others looked as though they were so numb to their surroundings and were simply heading by without a word.
Aiyana noticed a hurt woman struggling to get down the stairs.
"Keep going! I am going to help these people out!" she said to Shepard who nodded and continued up. Lions tossed her a radio and she took it, shoving it into her pocket as she took a hold of the woman's arm, leading her down the stairs.
9:59 am
As they reached the base of the stairs, Aiyana helped her into the lobby as screamed suddenly erupted from the doorway.
"Watch out!!! It's coming down!" Aiyana froze with fear as did the woman with her. The sound of a loud crash came from outside instead of above them as they had presumed. Dust and metal slammed into the building, the windows and doors of the tower breaking as the south tower collapsed, shouts over the radio ceasing almost instantly as Aiyana pulled the woman into a corner, cover her with her body.
Silence enveloped the room. There was no movement, not sound. Everything was still and white as Aiyana uncovered them, looking around. People were littered everywhere, some alive, some, unknown. The white cloud was moving through the room but escaping through the shattered windows and doors. Aiyana grabbed the sobbing woman and helped her outside into the cluttered, thick air. The streets were covered in dust that hadn't yet settled. It was like breathing cement. Nothing you could do or say except cover your mouth and pray you made it out. Reaching a few police outside the building, Aiyana handed off the woman who was then taken to safety as she turned. There was nothing to see but a cloud of white. She wasn't even to see the building she had just exited.
10:13 am
Aiyana managed to get away from the building. Just about a block away, new fire engines and police were arriving. They found her, giving her water as she reached up, feeling at her forehead. Having not known, she had been struct with something and was bleeding but there was no real pain. All she could think about was what had just happened. But that was when she heard it. Hard, loud explosions, or so she thought. Looking up, she saw a body fall and turned her head as it hit the ground nearby. Women and men screamed in horror and she covered her ears, tears trickling down her face, her teeth grinding together. They were scared, helpless. Unable to make any other choice. That was when she saw them all. Bodies littered around the ground.
10:25 am
Aiyana spit, her mouth filled with a chalk like substance as she moved from the trucks, heading back to the building. Reaching down, she grabbed the radio they had given her and pushed the button to speak.
"This is officer Scott!" she managed, he throat and mouth dry and her voice cracking slightly.
"Officer Lions, can you hear me?" she asked, repeating it again when there was no initial answer. Finally, a voice broke over the speaker as more sirens were heard down the street below the north tower.
"This is officer Lions! Scott, did you get out?" he asked.
"Yes, but there are people..bodies everywhere. And...the south tower is down. Where are you?" she asked.
"We just reached the 57th floor! This is as high up as we can go. There is a lot of smoke and debris and people everywhere. We are checking buildings but-" The radio went silent as a loud noise was heard.
10:28 am
The north tower began to fall and the radio message was gone. Aiyana screamed, running towards the tower.
"No!! LIONS! Shepard! W-we have to get them out!" she shouted as an officer grabbed her.
"No!!! Run!! This way, hurry!" Aiyana saw his face. His expression. It was fear, pure fear. She felt it too as her felts carried her quickly away from the building as tears streamed down her face. They were gone. They were actually gone. The officer grabbed her, diverting into a building nearby as the cloud of debris closed in on them. Shutting the door, he headed further into the building as the wind and dust struck the building, breaking a window. She screamed as he huddled with her in a corner as her body shook with sobs. Then, again, silence.
10:52 am
Aiyana walked through the white streets, her foot crunching against glass and cement as she walked quietly towards where the building had fallen. People were struggling to get away, some injured. Others simply covered head to foot in the white powdered substance just as she was. Her eyes scanned the area. Cars, broken and empty sat, some looked stripped of their paint. Engines and cars sat quiet and only a few visible sirens lit up through the smoke. She hurried down the street now, the thought of Shepard and Lions inside the tower as it felt replaying over and over in her head. A man ran by her, holding his arm.
"Help me Jesus!" he screamed as he passed. An eerie feeling washed over her as she turned, seeing where the tower once stood, now a pill of metal and scraps and firemen and rescuers rushed to the scene. But Aiyana stood, motionless and horrified at the sight before her eyes. Slowly, she closed them suddenly, everything went black.
September 11th, 2011 @ 9:45 am
Voices sounded in hushed tones, the sound of water falling heard nearby as Aiyana stood, fingers pressed against a plaque of names. Names of the fallen, of the lives lost that day. Her other hand rested on her belt as she stood in her police uniform. She had decided to stop by. Normally, she would avoid this place but somehow, today, she had to be here. She had to see it again. She felt a pang of hurt was over her as her fingers traced the letters that read 'Officer Matt Lions'. She felt tears spring to her eyes and she swallowed hard, forcing them back as a hand rested on her shoulder. She turned her head quickly, her hand falling away as Shepard stepped up behind her. She looked back at him, tears falling as she looked back to the name.
"It hurts...every time I look at it." she said softly.
"I know..." said Shepard, his eyes falling to where their comrades name was written. Silence lingered before Aiyana broke it.
"How Ethan...how did you..manage to get out? Why did he have to-.." she paused, a sob escaping and Shepard turned her, pulling her into a hug.
Minutes passed before Shepard pulled away from her, leading her to a bench. As she sat, Shepard's eyes remained on the waterfall as he spoke.
"We had climbed up the stairs to the 50th floor or so. I saw a man coming down whose legs weren't there and a few men were carrying him. One of the men fell and Lions asked me to help them. I did...but as I went down, we have only reached about the 23rd floor when the building shook and everything when black. I tried to grab the railing but it was gone. When I opened my eyes next, I was on a stretcher, being lowered from the rubble." he said, his eyes averting to the ground as Aiyana watched him carefully. He continued.
"I asked if the man I had helped had made it but they said they didn't find anyone else. And when I asked about Lions, they said he was missing too. I had a broken collar bone, as you know, and two broken rips as well as a few other injuries. But, not matter how lucky I thought I was, I felt...useless." he finished softly.
Aiyana watched as Shepard reached up, his hand coming to his face as the scene replayed in his mind and he struggled to hold back tears just as she had. More trailed down her face as she shook her head.
"You...were not useless. You were so brave to go in there. To keep climbing. There was nothing you or I could have done to stop it. When I thought you were gone I...I knew there was nothing I could do either." she said softly. He looked up, sniffling slightly as he wiped his eyes, trying to stern up. Aiyana placed a hand on his arm.
"Lions knew what he was doing and where he was going. And you and I both know he loved his job more than anyone." she said. Shepard's eyes looked to her and he nodded. Aiyana smiled a little, wiping her face.
More and more people began to arrive and Shepard stood along with Aiyana.
"We should go. We are still on the job." he said. Aiyana nodded.
"Just..one more thing." Reaching into her pocket, she took a wallet sized photo of Lions from her pocket. Smiling, she ran her thumb over it before pressing it against the plaque, using a small piece of tape to hold it in place. She stood, staring at where it sat beside his name before looking to Shepard. He gave a small nod of approval and a smile. Aiyana gave one more glance back before the two walked away. And as they did, the memories of that day replayed vividly in their minds. Never to be forgotten.
[M:0]
