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#794 | Wednesday, February 27th 2002
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Some people find it odd when they ask me or the members of my class what we were doing on 11th September 2001, it even seems odd to me. It was 2.10pm (British time) I remember we had been set a test on the development of a child and then all of a sudden we heard a really loud noise from outside, and as we looked out there was a plane circling the school and this went on for about 20 minutes. We thought this was a little weird but finally the time came for us to go home. I'd just got on a train to go home when my mobile phone started ringing, and as I picked it up I realised it was home, so I answered and was told 'Laura, get home quickly world war 3 has started'. I automatically thought this was a joke and didn't believe my sister but she started saying how New York was coming under attack by aeroplanes but still I didn't know what to think. I did feel like crying because this was all my worst fears coming true but I kept telling myself 'It's not true, it's not true.' However when I reached my destination the train station had the radio on and I heard it all clearly for myself 'The world trade centre had been hit by an aeroplane and there was still some planes missing'. I was terrified and felt so sick for the poor people who had died in the accident. I couldn't watch the news as it just scared me and that night I didn't sleep at all; worried that something else would happen. When I think back on it I can't believe how weird it was that our school was being circled by a plane just about the same time that the first plane crashed into the world trade centre and just hope that nothing like this ever happens again.
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Laura | 18 | United Kingdom
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#793 | Wednesday, February 27th 2002
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I will never forget that morning. I had been hanging ot with some old friends and we had not been together since high school that summer graduation. On September 10 we went all over town. We watched videos at a friends house and road out to Denny's where we met some new guys who quickly ended up sitting in the booth with us. One who I will never forget was named Steve and he showed us his art work. By the time we left Denny's it was Sept. 11 at about 2:30 a.m. We went back to my friends house and watched another movie. Then I was dragged out of the house at about 5:30 a.m. for an early breakfast. We finally got back to Lauren's around 7 a.m. where we went to bed. About 2 hours later all five of us awoke by a call from my mom. She told us to turn on the T.V. We watched in shock as the towers began to fall to the groud and as we watched people jump to their deaths. The incident changed all of us forever. It was so wierd how God brought us five together that night I will never understand why he chose us five out of all the friends we hadin highschool, but I will forever thank him for it. Lana
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Lana | 18 | Illinois
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#782 | Thursday, February 21st 2002
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I was sitting in my psychology class when the principal came over the P.A. system telling us not to panic but yet that there had been a plane that had crashed into the World Trade Center. And ofcourse, we turned on the T.V. in the room and I actually saw the 2nd plane crash into the building. This is something that I will never forget the rest of my life. I respect the firefighters of New York and all the policemen to. Me being a Christian thought this had it's good points too. This made everyone reflect on God. And how He's ALWAYS there through good and bad. And this was definanity a bad and he was there belive it or not. I ran up to my family, church friends and e-mailed the long distance one's and told each and everyone of them how much I loved them. Your never guarenteed a tomorrow and this tragic event made me relized this even more. God Bless you all and God Bless America. pray for our soldiers. I love you all.
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Sarah | 18 | Kansas
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#746 | Saturday, February 9th 2002
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We had just finished taking notes in Coach Allan's American Government class, when his phone rang, after he took the call he said that we were going to watch the news, because there was histoy in the making. When we heard about the planes we were all pretty suprised. Most of us watched the tv all day in our classes, the only time I wasn't watching was at lunch and switching between classes, and of course when Mrs. Allard wouldn't let us watch it. I even remember running back to English from the Guidance office after I was finished switching classes because on my way back I heard that one of the twin towers had just fallen. Most of my friends and I were nervous for the rest of the day, even when one of the maintenence crew was mowing outside our view a few people took cover, thinking it was a plane. I have become more of a patriot since then, I have a flag sticker on my truck's back window, and a front licence plate with an eagle and teh flag. I have also donated money to our local fire department.
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Dani | 18 | Florida
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#743 | Friday, February 8th 2002
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I was on a study-trip to London when it happened. We'd visited some politician, and then we split up into small groups to do whatever we wanted to do for the rest of the evening.
We were walking on Oxford Street, had just been in a H&M store, when Lasse phoned Britt, his girlfriend. He was in Hungary at the time. Britt listened to him while the rest of us chatted outside the store. I remember it vividly. In that single second, we had no concerns. There was no homework, no dangers, nothing to worry about. In that moment, we were just six girls having a good time in a foreign city.
And then Britt turned to look at us. She told us that four planes had crashed in New York, that the Twin Towers were gone and that there was still several planes missing.
She sounded...she sounded like she couldn't believe the words she said. And we just looked at her - and it was so unreal. I think that deep down we knew that it was true and that things would never be the same, but at that moment it seemed...surreal. Impossible.
We thought she was kidding. We *prayed* she was kidding. The other four went into another store while Britt and I waited outside. She tried to call her parents although the network was overloaded.
There was a TV store nearby. I walked inside, saw the screens in the far end. It seemed almost...perverse. All the wide-screen were showing movies or series, but in the corner, on two small TV...was New York.
There was snow on the screens and the colors sometimes disappeared...but I didn't notice that. I only saw NYC, covered in gray-brown smoke, and then recording after recording as the Twin Towers collapsed.
We were maybe ten people, just standing there - customers, a few from the staff - and there was silence. The silence was so loud that it was deafening. And finally, when we spoke...it felt like blasphemy to break that silence.
We headed back to our hotel via the metro. Some tried to call home, but the network was overloaded.
We got off at Bayswater like so many times before (and the first time we walked there - who would have imagined that the world would be turned upside down?) and on the way we passed another TV store.
This time, the live broadcast from New York was on the big screens in the windows. There must have been fifty-sixty people just standing there, watching - we had to walk out on the road to get past.
When we got back to our hotel, most of the others were there, too. Most called home. I figured I'd wait until the long line for the phone booth was gone.
So I went on the 'Net instead, to find out if my 'Net-friends were all okay. It was...weird. One of the e-lists I'm on - usually such a fun place - we were suddenly very serious. I checked in, read the others' notes, wrote to Rachell, my friend from Bosten, Mass.
I was just about convinced that we'd all gotten away unscratched when one of the girls on the list checked in. She said that she was okay, but that her cousin had been on flight 77 that hit Pentagon. He was...he was just a kid.
I didn't know him, but suddenly everything broke through my protective sphere. The fact that someone I'd written to, someone I'd sent feedback to, had lost someone - it made everything seem so horrible real.
I left the 'Net-lounge and headed for the breakfast room where the TV was. Usually, there would be maybe five people when there wasn't breakfast, but this time...the room was full. There were benches and chairs for seventy-five people...and they were all taken. There were people leaning against the wall, all looking at the TV.
And as we stood there, we saw the recording of the second plane as it hit - how it hits the tower, how the wings are torn off, and finally it tears through the building before it explodes. Recording after recording, until the images were burned into our minds for the rest of our lives.
Oh, God.
That night, we didn't go party. We stayed at home. Talking. Watching TV. Eating. Drinking.
I went sympathy-drinking that night. I don't usually drink, but sometimes...
I drank for the girl's cousin. I drank for my friend who'd lived in New York - had friends in NY - and now awaited word about them. I drank for the image of the planes that hit - images that are forever burned into my mind - and I drank to make it all go away.
Of course, it didn't.
But it gave me a break and a chance to get everything together again...and maybe that was what I needed.
My first reacting to it all was 'oh, my God'.
Now it's different. It still seems impossible, incomprehensible, but now...
...Now, we will not forget.
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Sorceré | 18 | Denmark
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