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"Good morning, Sarah."

"Good morning, Derek," Sarah Dorough replied, smiling as she passed her co-worker on the way to her desk. Only a handful of others were starting their day so early, and she greeted them in turn. Settling down with a cup chai tea, she turned on her computer and took a moment to relax while sipping the hot liquid. It was a typical day working in New York City. Her job was high up on the South Tower of the World Trade Center, where she had been working since her husband Tobias passed away. She uprooted herself and their daughter Melicia from Florida and moved to New York. Melicia had been ten years old at the time. Now eighteen, she was a senior in high school and her future was bright. Saying that Sarah was proud would have been an understatement.

"What are you doing here so early? Normally you don't stroll in here with your chai until nine-thirty," Sarah's cubemate, Catherine, replied as she leaned back in her chair with a grin.

"Mella and I are going out for dinner tonight to celebrate an award she received at school for her writing."

"Oh! You mean her essay on the civil rights movement?"

"Yes, she got first place."

"That's fantastic!" Catherine enthused with a happy smile. "Tell her I said congratulations."

"I will," Sarah promised, taking another sip of tea as she checked the time. Seven forty-three in the morning. "I think I got here a little too early... figures that the elevators went quickly today since I was early. That never happens when I'm running late!"

"That's just how it goes," Catherine shrugged, chuckling as she stood up to stretch. Looking over at Sarah's desk, another smile formed on her sunny face. Picture frames cluttered the small area; mostly photos of Melicia were plastered behind the glass. A couple included their family down in Florida. One member in particular always caught eyes if they were into the current music scene. Sarah's youngest brother Howie was a member of the pop sensation, the Backstreet Boys. All the women on their floor teased Sarah and begged for a romantic getaway with the handsome man. She would just smile, roll her eyes and go back to work. Her little brother was too good to have random flings nor was he into that. His friend AJ on the other hand... "How are your brother and his bandmates doing, anyway?"

"They're great," Sarah smiled. "AJ is still sober, their tour has been a huge hit... it's been a blessing for them."

"I'm glad to hear--" Catherine was interrupted by a such a loud, high pitched sound that they cried out and covered their ears. Within moments the entire building shook and the floor rumbled beneath them. "WHAT WAS THAT?!"

"It sounded like something hit us!" Sarah exclaimed as the lights flickered and dimmed before going black. Everyone screamed. Suddenly, the flood lights turned on that hovered over the exits.

"What do we do?!"

"We have to get out of here," Sarah took Catherine's hand and they ran towards the elevators along with the others. Pressing the buttons furiously, nothing happened. Looking around, Sarah could see the same result with all the other elevators. "The stairs! Come on."

"What could have hit us?" Catherine questioned, her voice laced with panic as they rushed towards the staircase.

"I don't know. But... it almost sounded like a plane."

"A PLANE?"

"It sounds crazy, but what else could it have been to hit us all the way up here? That loud noise was probably the engines." Sarah stopped on the stairs when the small crowd in front of her stopped. Black smoke trailed up towards them from the lower floors. She could smell gasoline and almost hear distinct crackling of flames. "Go back, Cat!"

"The building's on fire, we have to get out of here!" Catherine disagreed as Sarah pushed her back upstairs.

"We can't get out that way. We'll have to try the other staircase!" Soon they were weaving through the cubicles, Catherine never releasing Sarah's hand and the same in return. Finally reaching the door, Sarah opened it and immediately shut it again. More smoke and flames. She looked at Catherine helplessly. "We're trapped--"

"Oh my God... listen! The others in the south staircase," Catherine whispered. Screams of despair and pain could be heard from those being engulfed by the vicious fire. "We're going to die..."

"Cat..." words failed Sarah as tears slipped down their cheeks. She brought the woman into her arms, ignoring the smoke that was now starting to stream in through the doorways on both sides. "I'm glad we became such good friends."

"Me too, Sarah. I wish I could see my mother... or at least say goodbye... one more time..." Catherine sniffled hard. After a moment of silence, Sarah spoke up.

"You can."

"How?"

"Call and leave a voicemail. Or at least try."

"Sarah..."

"If it goes through, at least you for to say goodbye," Sarah replied, pulling out her cell phone. She dialed Melicia's number while Catherine called her mother.


Hi, you've reached Mella's cell. I'm not able to answer at the moment. More than likely I am beating Carter's ass on Playstation--

You are CHEATING!

Such allegations means you're a sore loser.

...Did you just call me an alligator?!

Oh, Nicky. Such a special one, you are. Anyways! Whoever may be calling, leave me a message and I'll call back. Promise!

MELICIA!

Beep!


"M-Mella! It's Mama. You're probably finding out right now what h-happened," Sarah coughed loudly. The smoke was getting thicker as she sat down on the floor much like Catherine. "Baby, I love you so much. I tried to get out but there's n-no way. I'm sorry. No matter where I am, I'll always be--be--wa-watching..."

The coughing became worse. Feeling weak and dizzy from lack of air, she could hardly see through the smoke to see Catherine, who was merely a foot away and having just as much difficulty breathing. Knowing that she could lose consciousness any minute, she took a deep breath to try and finish her last sentence to her only daughter. "I'll be watching you. Goodbye, Darling."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Shifting her spanish book and random materials, Melicia walked down the hallway towards the classroom. As she stepped inside, she could tell that something was wrong. All of her classmates were sitting around, talking in hushed tones. Faces full of trepidition and fear. She sat down at her desk and turned towards her friend, Karen.

"What the Hell's going on?"

"Didn't you hear?"

"...What?"

"The Twin Towers were hit by airplanes filled with people."

"Oh my GOD!" Melicia's dark blue eyes widened in horror as she reached for her cell phone. "I've got to call Mama!"

"No one can get through--"

"I've got to try--" Melicia was interrupted by their teacher walking back into the classroom while pushing in a television on a cart. Another class walked in behind her. They all crowded into the room, some sitting on desks and others sitting on the floor. Within moments a reporter was recapping the events.

I repeat, the Twin Towers have been struck by what appears to be two planes that were hijacked on the way to other destinations. We do not know any motives at this moment nor who was on those flights. Firefighters, police and paramedics are already on the scene trying to rescue any survivors. May God help us all--

The reporter was interrupted by a low, rumbling sound. Looking up towards the towers, the camera followed. All the students watched in utter shock as the South Tower began to collapse on itself.

OH MY GOD! THE SOUTH TOWER IS COLLAPSING AS I SPEAK! ALL THOSE PEOPLE IN THE TOWERS! DEAR GOD!

"MAMA!" Melicia cried out, along with several other students. Cell phones were pulled out again and there was a frantic dialing for their respective parents who had been in that tower. As she flipped open her phone, she saw a missed call along with a voicemail. Her stomach dropped.

Mama, 7:55am.

With shaking fingers, she pressed the send button, which automatically sent the call to her voicemail inbox. Entering her password, the operators voice spoke, cold and monotonous.

"You have one new message. To play this message, press one."

She pressed one. And waited.

M-Mella! It's Mama. You're probably finding out right now what h-happened. Baby, I love you so much. I tried to get out but there's n-no way. I'm sorry. No matter where I am, I'll always be--be--wa-watching...

Coughing and heavy breathing interrupted the message as Melicia listened with wide eyes. Tears streamed down her cheeks, knowing this was indeed the last time she would ever hear her mother's voice.

I'll be watching you. Goodbye, Darling.

"MAMA! NO! NO, NO, NO, NO!" Melicia shouted, her own breathing becoming erratic as she fell to her knees. She barely comprehended that her teacher was coming over to attempt to calm her down. "YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME! YOU CAN'T!"

"Melicia!"

"MAMA!" Melicia screamed one last time before passing out.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Kevin? Kev! Where are you?" Brian called out as he walked into his cousin's hotel room. They were supposed to be getting ready for some random public appearance for their album and tour, Black & Blue. But it seemed as if Kevin, who was always on the other's cases for being late, seemed to be the one running behind instead. It wasn't something Brian saw very often.

"Watching the news," Kevin replied, sounding detached. Following his voice, Brian found him in the living room watching the news.

"Cuz, what are you--" he stopped when the footage of the South Tower's collapse was shown again. "Oh my God... what happened?"

"Terrorist attacks. Hit the World Trade Center and Pentagon with airplanes... they were all full of people," He answered, tears in his emerald orbs.

"Oh my God..." they sat watching the television, feeling completely numb.

"Kev! What the Hell is going on, you're not on my nuts for being late--" Nick stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the footage.

Again, the United States has been attacked by terrorists. The World Trade Center towers have now collapsed to the ground

"Fellas, where are y'all hiding? D's gonna have a fit if we don't--" AJ came into the middle of the broadcast. His face paled at the sight.

and the Pentagon has been hit. The death count is unmeasurable right now. May God help us all.

"Oh God... Sarah works in the South Tower," AJ whispered. "If Howie hears this--"

"If Howie hears what?" he asked, walking into the room. "Come on, we have to go."

"D... man, look at the tv..." Brian whispered.

"What? It's just the news," Howie replied.

"Believe me. You need to know this."

"All right, all right," he turned to the television just as footage of a tower collapsing was shown. "Oh my God... Sarah... no. No, she wasn't there. Please say she wasn't there!" Everything started to spin as he gripped the couch. "MY SISTER ISN'T DEAD!"

"Howie, calm down, you're going to make yourself pass out!" Kevin cried out in alarm before Howie lost his grip of reality and the couch. Almost in slow motion, he fell to the floor as the others rushed to his side.