The September 11 attacks (often referred to as September 11th or 9/11) were a series of coordinated suicide attacks by Al-Qaeda upon the United States on September 11, 2001. On that morning, 19 Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial passenger jet airliners.[1][2] The hijackers intentionally crashed two of the airliners into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, killing everyone on board and many others working in the buildings. Both buildings collapsed within two hours, destroying nearby buildings and damaging others. The hijackers crashed a third airliner into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C. The fourth plane crashed into a field near Shanksville in rural Pennsylvania, after some of its passengers and flight crew attempted to retake control of the plane, which the hijackers had redirected toward Washington, D.C. There were no survivors from any of the flights. In total 2,993 people, including the hijackers, died in the attacks.
Source: Wikipedia
I remember it like it was yesterday..........As a Junior at my new high school, I'm walking through the crowed hallways to get to my second period class, which was ROTC. It was my 3rd year being in ROTC and the excitement that I once possessed for this program had completely died down. As I drag myself into the classroom, I see about 10 other students sitting around chit chatting with each other as their eyes are glued to the television. Me, not realizing what was going on at the time, I just quietly locate a seat and sit down. I always felt out of place in this particular class. Maybe it was cuz the people that I was use to seeing for the past couple of years where no where to be found, being that I was now at a different high school. Or maybe the personalities that my classmates possessed did not click with mines. Or maybe it was because I felt that our backgrounds were a lot different from each other. Or just maybe there was no real reason for me isolating myself from the others. Whatever the case might have been, I always felt alone in that class, until then. Classmates are panicing, as they watch the tv. "Oh, my goodness, I can't believe this. They just crashed into the one of the World Trade Center towers." "Wow, this is so surreal." In the meantime, news reporters are discussing what just took place, as the camera is focusing on the tower that was just hit, all of a sudden another plane hits the second tower. My heart pauses for a second. I place my hand on my heart, jaw dropped completely down, and my eyes wide open and glued to the tv. Now my entire class is starting to panic. Panic? Nah, after the second plane hit, panic became an understatement. Everyone started to become confused, scared, sad, nervous, etc. It was at this time we all came together as one. Yes, we all might have different backgrounds, passions, and personalities, but one thing we all had in common was that we all were U.S. citizens concerned about the recent events that took place in OUR Country. As we continue watching the news coverage, we hear about the other plane crashes. All of a sudden, my class went from being worried and sympathetic for the victims in these attacks to being worried about themselves. There was word going around the classroom, that another plane was coming in our direction, aiming to hit our local base. Classmates wanted to call their families, they were now scared for their lives. My heart is beating rapidly now and the "what if's" start traveling around in my mind. Although I now felt connected to these individuals who I once viewed as strangers, I did not want to be with them right now. I wanted to be home with my mom, grandma, and sister. I wanted to know that they were alright too. Time passes and we continue to wait. Nothing else happened. Nothing else, but having to painfully watch the aftermath of these horrible attacks........................................So now I want to know where was y'all?
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