This is the first chapter of my finished novel, just thought I would put it in here although technically it's not a short story (in fact, it's quite a long story!)
Chapter One
“There is a saying in Tibetan. ‘Tragedy should be utilized as a source of strength.’ No matter what sort of difficulties, no matter how painful experience is, if we lose hope, that’s our real disaster.” – Dalai Lama XIV
It’s beginning to sound like a cliché but it started like any other day. I woke up around seven with my son, Bobby, who was five, curled up in my bed. He always got in with me once his dad had gone to work. I sat up, rubbing my expanding stomach and getting small kicks in return. At eight months pregnant, it was getting more and more difficult to move about. Bobby lay beside me, his head resting on my stomach.
“I can hear her moving, mommy!” he cried, his cheeky little smile spreading across his face. He looked so much like his dad I often wondered if he was even mine at all. I was hoping my daughter would come out looking a bit more like me.
“He’s definitely mine!” Lee, my husband, had said when Bobby was born. There was no denying it; he was a Bolton boy for sure.
We finally got out of bed and made our way into the kitchen, turning on some cartoons to keep Bobby entertained while I made some breakfast. He’d had a virus for a couple of days and had been off school. It was torture having to listen to cartoons all day. As I was pouring cereal, the phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Hey Zoe, it’s me. I just got to work and realised that I left my keys on the dining table. If you get time, could you come over and drop them off to me?” It was Lee.
“I’ll try. I can barely walk down the stairs today but if I get a chance I’ll come over with them.”
“Ok, well I’ll maybe see you later then. If not, rest up. I’ll cook tonight. Love you. Bye.”
Lee prided himself on his cooking skills. As a broker, he didn’t really come across as the culinary type. But he made a mean lasagne and had even baked the cupcakes for Bobby’s fourth birthday.
Pulling open the curtains, I looked up at the blue sky. It was such a beautiful day, I clearly remember seeing birds zooming across the sky in all directions, not a cloud in sight. In the distance, I could just make out the New York skyline. Maybe I would try and get over there; it would be a shame to waste such a lovely day sitting inside.
“Eat up your cereal, Bobby. We’re going to go and see daddy soon.” I called into the lounge, almost drowned out by Tom and Jerry.
I looked at the clock. It was almost 8.30 AM and I had barely done anything. I piled clothes into the dryer and pulled out others to iron. Bobby trudged into the kitchen.
“Mommy, my cartoons have gone off.” He said, rubbing his eyes. I stood up, assuming he had knocked the remote. I walked past the grandfather clock in the hallway that had belonged to Lee’s parents. It was 8:50 AM. For some reason, I stared at the clock for a good few seconds before I carried on into the living room. I saw that the cartoons had been interrupted by a news broadcast showing the two World Trade Center towers. And one of them was billowing black smoke. I muttered ‘oh my God’ under my breath and held my hand to my mouth. Then I realised Bobby was staring at the TV.
“Bobby, go to your room and play.” I ordered him. He looked at me with those big brown, puppy dog eyes.
“Why? I want to watch Tom and Je...”
“Just go, Bobby. Mommy needs to see this. Go and play with your trains. I’ll be up in a minute.”
I felt bad for speaking to him so sharply; he didn’t understand what was happening on the television. Neither did I. Nevertheless, he went to his room.
After watching the images for a few minutes, my instinct was to call Lee. He was on the 95th floor of the South Tower that day, in a meeting. I wondered if he knew what had happened. It rang off. I called back; no answer.
I told myself he would probably be busy evacuating. Then he called back.
“Lee, are you ok?”
“Yeah, I’m ok. What’s going on out there?” He seemed fairly calm which comforted me a little.
“The news is saying an airplane hit the North Tower. Are you coming out or what?”
“We’ve been told to stay here and wait for further instructions. I’ll be ok. God, Brian and Steve were in Tower one. I hope they’re alright. What’s it looking like on TV? Is it bad?”
Part of me wanted to tell him it didn’t look as bad as it seemed. But I couldn’t lie to him.
“It looks pretty bad, Lee. You should get out of there.”
“I know but... oh wait... Ok Zoe, I have to go. I think we’re going to leave. I’ll give you a call when...” Silence.
As the line went dead, I was watching the television. A second plane, a huge plane, sliced into the South Tower which exploded into a furnace of flickering flames, smoke rising from it, mirroring its twin. I felt physically sick. I tried frantically to call Lee back but all I got was the dialling tone. I refused to believe the worst. I turned to see Bobby standing on the stairs.
“Was that daddy? Can I speak to him?” His innocence brought tears to my eyes.
“No sweetie, daddy is busy right now. Go back to your room; I’ll call you down in a while.” He must have sensed something was wrong. He was normally a bundle of energy and wouldn’t sit still for two seconds but here he was, playing in his room, good as gold.
I sat by the phone, waiting and waiting. I felt sick and my heart was racing. It got to 9.30 AM and I couldn’t think straight. Did I keep trying to call? Did I wait some more? Did I try and get over to the City? I jumped as the phone rang.
“Lee?!” I called out.
“No Zoe, it’s me, Adam. Are you ok? We’re watching on TV...” My brother’s voice trailed off. I couldn’t hold it in any more. I broke down.
“He’s on the 95th floor of the South Tower. I just saw the plane hit it. I don’t know what the hell I’m supposed to do.” I was barely understandable as I fought back tears as hard as I could.
“Has Lee called?”
“He did before the plane hit. Then the line went dead. I’m waiting for him to call back but he hasn’t.”
“Ok, well I’ll leave the line free in case he’s trying to get through. Call me back straight away if you need me.”
No sooner had I put the phone back down, it rang again.
“Zoe, it’s Lee.” My heart melted and I collapsed into the chair.
“Are you ok? What’s going on? Are you getting out?”
“Look, don’t panic. We’re trying to see what we can do. I’m the only one with a cell phone reception so everyone in the office is using it to call home so I can’t stay too long.”
“But you’re going to get out, right?” I asked again.
“There’s so much smoke. We can’t see, we can barely breathe. One of the guys managed to crack a window but it’s no use. We saw the plane...” He paused for a second, his breathing was labored. I could hear sobbing in the background, shouting. I heard a huge crash and a woman scream. It sounded like utter pandemonium filled with an air of terror.
“I don’t know if there’s a lot we can do. We’re trying to find a way out but there are fires springing up everywhere. We might try and make a run for the elevator if we can get out of the door. But... Oh my God!” I stood up out of my seat.
“What? What is it, what’s happening?” I was beginning to really panic. He was painting a pretty hopeless picture.
“Someone, someone above us jumped. We just saw him fall past the window. Oh my God. Is it that bad that the better option is to jump? Shit. This is bad, this is really bad.” He began coughing, obviously having a more and more difficult time breathing. I was scared for him. And I was scared for myself. I put my arm over my stomach. She wasn’t kicking. She had no idea I had needed her to reassure me.
“Lee, you’re going to be ok. There are firemen everywhere, they’ll come up and get you.”
“I love you, Zoe. Tell Bobby that his daddy loves him very much and that he has to be a brave boy for his mommy. And tell our little girl about me and let her know that I loved her even before she was born.” He choked the words out.
“Don’t say things like that, you’re going to get out. You’re going to come home and cook for me tonight and...”
“I’m not Zoe. Nothing we’re trying is working. We’re trapped. Guys are already dead in here. Mike and Allan, they’re gone. I’m sitting with Claire in a far corner. She’s in a bad way, I’m trying to comfort her but there’s no point. I have to let the others use the phone now. I love you. I always have and I always will.”
“I love you too. Please, don’t leave.”
“I have to; Claire wants to speak to her dad. She can barely breathe so we have to hurry. Goodbye Zoe.” And for the last time, the phone cut off.
I sat in shock. I couldn’t move. I could just imagine the love of my life, trapped, about to die. And I was helpless. I stared blankly at the TV screen. Ten minutes later, I saw Lee’s Tower fall to the ground, reduced to dust. In a similar way, my legs buckled beneath me and I fell to the floor, reduced to a heap of nothing.
It’s beginning to sound like a cliché but it started like any other day. I woke up around seven with my son, Bobby, who was five, curled up in my bed. He always got in with me once his dad had gone to work. I sat up, rubbing my expanding stomach and getting small kicks in return. At eight months pregnant, it was getting more and more difficult to move about. Bobby lay beside me, his head resting on my stomach.
“I can hear her moving, mommy!” he cried, his cheeky little smile spreading across his face. He looked so much like his dad I often wondered if he was even mine at all. I was hoping my daughter would come out looking a bit more like me.
“He’s definitely mine!” Lee, my husband, had said when Bobby was born. There was no denying it; he was a Bolton boy for sure.
We finally got out of bed and made our way into the kitchen, turning on some cartoons to keep Bobby entertained while I made some breakfast. He’d had a virus for a couple of days and had been off school. It was torture having to listen to cartoons all day. As I was pouring cereal, the phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Hey Zoe, it’s me. I just got to work and realised that I left my keys on the dining table. If you get time, could you come over and drop them off to me?” It was Lee.
“I’ll try. I can barely walk down the stairs today but if I get a chance I’ll come over with them.”
“Ok, well I’ll maybe see you later then. If not, rest up. I’ll cook tonight. Love you. Bye.”
Lee prided himself on his cooking skills. As a broker, he didn’t really come across as the culinary type. But he made a mean lasagne and had even baked the cupcakes for Bobby’s fourth birthday.
Pulling open the curtains, I looked up at the blue sky. It was such a beautiful day, I clearly remember seeing birds zooming across the sky in all directions, not a cloud in sight. In the distance, I could just make out the New York skyline. Maybe I would try and get over there; it would be a shame to waste such a lovely day sitting inside.
“Eat up your cereal, Bobby. We’re going to go and see daddy soon.” I called into the lounge, almost drowned out by Tom and Jerry.
I looked at the clock. It was almost 8.30 AM and I had barely done anything. I piled clothes into the dryer and pulled out others to iron. Bobby trudged into the kitchen.
“Mommy, my cartoons have gone off.” He said, rubbing his eyes. I stood up, assuming he had knocked the remote. I walked past the grandfather clock in the hallway that had belonged to Lee’s parents. It was 8:50 AM. For some reason, I stared at the clock for a good few seconds before I carried on into the living room. I saw that the cartoons had been interrupted by a news broadcast showing the two World Trade Center towers. And one of them was billowing black smoke. I muttered ‘oh my God’ under my breath and held my hand to my mouth. Then I realised Bobby was staring at the TV.
“Bobby, go to your room and play.” I ordered him. He looked at me with those big brown, puppy dog eyes.
“Why? I want to watch Tom and Je...”
“Just go, Bobby. Mommy needs to see this. Go and play with your trains. I’ll be up in a minute.”
I felt bad for speaking to him so sharply; he didn’t understand what was happening on the television. Neither did I. Nevertheless, he went to his room.
After watching the images for a few minutes, my instinct was to call Lee. He was on the 95th floor of the South Tower that day, in a meeting. I wondered if he knew what had happened. It rang off. I called back; no answer.
I told myself he would probably be busy evacuating. Then he called back.
“Lee, are you ok?”
“Yeah, I’m ok. What’s going on out there?” He seemed fairly calm which comforted me a little.
“The news is saying an airplane hit the North Tower. Are you coming out or what?”
“We’ve been told to stay here and wait for further instructions. I’ll be ok. God, Brian and Steve were in Tower one. I hope they’re alright. What’s it looking like on TV? Is it bad?”
Part of me wanted to tell him it didn’t look as bad as it seemed. But I couldn’t lie to him.
“It looks pretty bad, Lee. You should get out of there.”
“I know but... oh wait... Ok Zoe, I have to go. I think we’re going to leave. I’ll give you a call when...” Silence.
As the line went dead, I was watching the television. A second plane, a huge plane, sliced into the South Tower which exploded into a furnace of flickering flames, smoke rising from it, mirroring its twin. I felt physically sick. I tried frantically to call Lee back but all I got was the dialling tone. I refused to believe the worst. I turned to see Bobby standing on the stairs.
“Was that daddy? Can I speak to him?” His innocence brought tears to my eyes.
“No sweetie, daddy is busy right now. Go back to your room; I’ll call you down in a while.” He must have sensed something was wrong. He was normally a bundle of energy and wouldn’t sit still for two seconds but here he was, playing in his room, good as gold.
I sat by the phone, waiting and waiting. I felt sick and my heart was racing. It got to 9.30 AM and I couldn’t think straight. Did I keep trying to call? Did I wait some more? Did I try and get over to the City? I jumped as the phone rang.
“Lee?!” I called out.
“No Zoe, it’s me, Adam. Are you ok? We’re watching on TV...” My brother’s voice trailed off. I couldn’t hold it in any more. I broke down.
“He’s on the 95th floor of the South Tower. I just saw the plane hit it. I don’t know what the hell I’m supposed to do.” I was barely understandable as I fought back tears as hard as I could.
“Has Lee called?”
“He did before the plane hit. Then the line went dead. I’m waiting for him to call back but he hasn’t.”
“Ok, well I’ll leave the line free in case he’s trying to get through. Call me back straight away if you need me.”
No sooner had I put the phone back down, it rang again.
“Zoe, it’s Lee.” My heart melted and I collapsed into the chair.
“Are you ok? What’s going on? Are you getting out?”
“Look, don’t panic. We’re trying to see what we can do. I’m the only one with a cell phone reception so everyone in the office is using it to call home so I can’t stay too long.”
“But you’re going to get out, right?” I asked again.
“There’s so much smoke. We can’t see, we can barely breathe. One of the guys managed to crack a window but it’s no use. We saw the plane...” He paused for a second, his breathing was labored. I could hear sobbing in the background, shouting. I heard a huge crash and a woman scream. It sounded like utter pandemonium filled with an air of terror.
“I don’t know if there’s a lot we can do. We’re trying to find a way out but there are fires springing up everywhere. We might try and make a run for the elevator if we can get out of the door. But... Oh my God!” I stood up out of my seat.
“What? What is it, what’s happening?” I was beginning to really panic. He was painting a pretty hopeless picture.
“Someone, someone above us jumped. We just saw him fall past the window. Oh my God. Is it that bad that the better option is to jump? Shit. This is bad, this is really bad.” He began coughing, obviously having a more and more difficult time breathing. I was scared for him. And I was scared for myself. I put my arm over my stomach. She wasn’t kicking. She had no idea I had needed her to reassure me.
“Lee, you’re going to be ok. There are firemen everywhere, they’ll come up and get you.”
“I love you, Zoe. Tell Bobby that his daddy loves him very much and that he has to be a brave boy for his mommy. And tell our little girl about me and let her know that I loved her even before she was born.” He choked the words out.
“Don’t say things like that, you’re going to get out. You’re going to come home and cook for me tonight and...”
“I’m not Zoe. Nothing we’re trying is working. We’re trapped. Guys are already dead in here. Mike and Allan, they’re gone. I’m sitting with Claire in a far corner. She’s in a bad way, I’m trying to comfort her but there’s no point. I have to let the others use the phone now. I love you. I always have and I always will.”
“I love you too. Please, don’t leave.”
“I have to; Claire wants to speak to her dad. She can barely breathe so we have to hurry. Goodbye Zoe.” And for the last time, the phone cut off.
I sat in shock. I couldn’t move. I could just imagine the love of my life, trapped, about to die. And I was helpless. I stared blankly at the TV screen. Ten minutes later, I saw Lee’s Tower fall to the ground, reduced to dust. In a similar way, my legs buckled beneath me and I fell to the floor, reduced to a heap of nothing.
0 comments:
Post a Comment