christa

11th September 2001

Sitting in class, freezing cold. Listening to the teacher drone on and on...
Suddenly, she turns towards the TV, then glances back at us. Her voice drops omniously.
"I don't know if your other teachers told you, but the World Trade Centre was just hit by two kamakaze aircraft. It happened within the hour. We might be able to go to my other classroom and watch the news if we have time at the end of class."
She turned, with an eveil sort of non-chalantness, back to the front to get out papers. Class continued, but maybe a little faster because of the impending curiosity. We functioned, in ignorance, not knowing what awaited us on the television.
Finally, an elderly librarian marched in. She messed with some wires and remotes, and I heard a collective gasp as the previously dormant screen sprang to life. Raising my eyes, I was not prepared for the sight I was about to see.
Columns of black smoke rose from unrecognisable piles of debris. Glancing at the caption, I was stunned to learn that this was the former World Trade Centre.
The class fell silent, I'm not sure whether out of shock or eargerness to listen. My mind went numb. It was all I could muster just to keep my eyes on the screen. Almost softly, the news ancor reported "part of the building has just collapsed."
Some turned away, too stunned to watch. Others joked and went back to their normal lives. But I just sat and watched, listened.
later, over the PA, the principal gruffy proclaimed the school "safe" and told everyone to go straight home after school. The crisis turned to post-lunch gossip.
And now, I sit. Teachers talk, and my best friend has left the school to go home. And I wonder: what will become of us?