TAKEN
a 9/11 story
By: Morgan

Danny is only 24. Him and his beautiful wife Linda live in a one story house by a lake. Danny’s life just took off. His wife Linda works at The World Trade Center also known as, one of the one of the twin towers. Danny works as the chief firefighter for New York City. They are madly in love. They just recently got married and have been enjoying every second of it. That was until the frightful day of 9/11. There was no way Linda or Danny could have known. Does Linda survive? What does it force Danny to do? READ!!!! AND!!!! FIND!!!! OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!


Linda kissed Danny on his lips as she sneaks out of bed at 5:00 A.M to go to work. Danny’s not up until at least 10:00 A.M and Linda hated to wake him up just to say goodbye. Danny rolled over when Linda got out of bed. She got up and got dressed and took there car to work. When she arrived she looked at her self in the car mirror. She fixed her black eyeliner. She combed her straightened brown hair and put a thin layer of light pink lip gloss on. She got out of her car and adjusted her grey skirt and her grey matching shirt.
“Linda!” Sarah called from her car across the lot. Linda waited for her. When Sarah caught up with her they began walking towards the building. “Did you get those charts that Bob talked about in last Fridays meeting?” She asked Linda.
“Shoot, I forgot!” Linda said and hit her forehead because of her own stupidity.
“Relax. I made two copies.” Sarah said and handed Linda a copy.
“You’re a life saver.” Linda said.
“What would you do without me?” Sarah chuckled.
“Not a lot.” Linda replied. When they got into the building they scanned there badges and headed to the elevator.
“So?” Sarah asked.
“What?” Linda asked her.
“Danny! He’s such a hunk! Whats its like being married to him?” Sarah asked. Linda laughed at her calling him a hunk. Danny was built very strong. He had big muscles and a six pack but thats not what she fell in love with. She fell in love with his dark brown hair and his bright blue eyes. She loved how he laughed and how he talked about her. She knows that he was the one for her and nothing could change her mind.
“He’s amazing and sweet and I love him.” Linda told her.
“How is he in bed?” She asked and nudged Linda’s hip.
“Thats for me to know and you to never find out!” Linda told her. Sarah frowned. Linda and Sarah have been best friends since childhood and they majored in the same thing at the same college. They have been inseparable. They both got out of the elevator when they got to there floor. The office was especially crowded today. A few big people were coming in and everyone was trying to get caught up because last month was very busy. We got straight to work. When the elevator door opened everyone stopped what they were doing and looked. It was dead silent. When they saw it was just Linda and Sarah they got back to work. Every time the doors opened again everyone dropped what they were doing and looked to see if it was anyone of importances but it never was. After a while Linda stopped looking. When the elevator dinged Linda kept working and when she looked up Danny was in his Fire fighter suit and had Lilacs in his hands. Linda stood up and kissed him. He looked deep into her Green eyes.
“Why didn’t you wake me?” He asked Linda while handing her the Lilacs which was her favorite flower. She smelled them and then said,
“Because I know you love to sleep in.”
“But I love seeing you more.” He replied. All I could do was smile. He walked closer to me and put both hands on her cheeks and gently kissed her. It lasted for what seemed like hours to her. She hugged him and saw all the girls leaning out of there chairs to see what her Hunky husband was doing.
“I love you.” She told him.
“I love you too.” He said. He kissed her once more and walked towards the elevator. Linda sighed when they closed. She hated the schedule that her and Danny had. They only got to see each other at night, which was good but she always wanted to be that couple that you always see together. Linda shook off the thought and thought to herself that she was lucky just to have Danny in her life. Linda smelled the Lilacs one last time and sat down in her chair. Sarah walked over to her desk and sat on it. She started to fan herself off. Linda nudged her.
“Stop it.” She said playfully with a nudge.
“How do you do it?” Sarah asked her.
“Do what?” Linda replied.
“Let him leave. Don’t you just want to jump in his arms and have him never let go?” Sarah asked me.
“You have no idea.” She told her and stared at the elevator, longing for him to come back through it. They both got back to work.


Danny was heading for the station. He hated making a big scene at Linda’s work but he couldn’t have started his day with out seeing her. Daniel knew that the love he shares with Linda was one of a kind. He knew that he would never find another person that he feels the same way.
“What took you so long?” Charlie asked Danny as he saw him heading down to the station.
“I had to see my girl.” Danny said.
“Oh course.” Charlie replied. “How do you do it?” Danny gave him a confused look. “Not go to bars, clubs or hand and drink with the guys.”
“I don’t miss it. I got her, thats all I need.” Daniel said to him.
“I wouldn’t be able to do it.” He replied. Danny laughed.
“I no.” He said. Danny and Charlie met Jason at the station.

Danny met Linda in high school. Danny moved to New York on his Senior Year. He came from North Dakota. He really caught Linda’s eye. He instantly fell in love with her green eyes and her brown hair. Danny never forgot what she wore when they first met. She had black skinny jeans and a holister sweat shirt on with UGG boots. Linda and Danny never left each others side. They began to separate when Linda went off to College with Sarah. Danny got a basketball scholarship but he couldn’t let her go. He chased her all the way to college and he told the scouts no. That College where he proposed. He got on one knee in the middle of the campus and asked her for her hand. It was no surprise when Linda said yes. They were destined to be together from the beginning. Since Danny couldn’t go get his scholarship after declining it he stayed with Linda. He got a job as a Fire Fighter and after so long he became the Chief. Danny wouldn’t change anything he did.

“How’s the Mrs. doing?” Danny asked Jason.
“She’s doing.” Jason chuckled.
Danny checked his watch to see that its time for his lunch break. A few times a week he goes and has lunch with Linda because they have the same lunch time.
“Well, gotta go guys!” Danny shouted. He put down his helmet on the table.
“But we just started the Charts.” George said.
“I know, I know.” Danny said.
“You owe us!” Jason shouted as Danny jogged down the road to make sure he wasn’t late. Linda’s work wasn’t too far away from the station. About a mile or so, so Danny always runs it to keep in shape. Danny walked into the building and got into the elevator. He used the few seconds to catch his breath. He stepped off the elevator and walked into Linda’s office.
“Ready?” Danny asked her.
“Always.” Linda smiled at him. “Let me just finish this application.”
“Application for what?” Danny asked her.
“We are hiring a few new people and they are coming in in twenty. Is that enough time for us to eat lunch?” She asked him.
“Yeah, that should be okay.” Danny said a little disappointed. “I’ll be right back.” Danny said and ran out of the office. He figured something like this would happen. He ran to the Employee’s room and grabbed his bag off the table. It had a vase and flowers in it with candles. He also called in Chinese which since was just across the street got there within minutes. Danny went back into her office dimmed the lighted. She looked up wondering why the lighted dimmed. Danny put the glasses and chinese on the coffee table in the middle of her table. He lit the candles and put water in the flowers.
“Danny.” Linda smiled. She stood up and kissed him. Danny embraced her.
“I’ve missed you, Linds.” He said. She pulled away from his hug.
“Don’t you think I’ve missed you?” She asked.
“I know you miss me. I just hate that we have to struggle to make time for each other.” Danny said.
“That’s why I love you. You would do anything for me. I don’t know what my life would be without you.” Linda said. Danny brushed Linda’s bangs out of her face and kissed her forehead.
“Lets eat.” He said. They rushed through Lunch. After they were done they still had a couple minutes. Linda had a huge window in the back of her office. It took up the whole wall. Danny sat on her chair with Linda in his arms and watched as the birds flew by. The view was incredible.
“Oh! You have to go!” Linda said as she jumped off Danny’s lap. She saw the clock on the wall and she only had two minutes to get ready for the people.
“But.” Was all Danny could get out before she pushed him out of her office.
“I love you so much but you have to go!” She said and pushed him out of the Office. She kissed him and then started picking up. Danny turned around and started to head for the elevator very confused. He walked out of the building. He saw a group of young kids going in. They were no older than 18. They looked very hopeful. Danny was still confused but he headed to the station anyways. As he walked to the Station he looked at his surroundings. He doesn’t usually pay much attention to them but he had time to today. As he was admiring the clouds and the beautiful blue sky he saw a plan go through the air. It wasn’t unusual for a plan to fly over New York City but this one seemed odd. He didn’t know how but it was just a feeling he got. He shook it off and kept walking. He looked up again and saw the same plane. It was circling around. He turned around and everything seemed to go in slow motion. He saw the plane crash into one of the Twin Towers. Smoke filled the air. Everyone on the streets stopped and dropped there jaws. Danny tried to move but nothing happened. He was frozen. He hear sirens in the distant. All he could think that Linda was in that building.
“She will be okay.” He repeatedly muttered to himself. Jason, Charlie and the rest of the crew came on the Fire Trucks.
“Hop on!” Jason shouted from the back. Jason took Danny’s hand and pulled him on.
“Linda.” Danny muttered under his breath.
“Oh. Danny, you don’t have to do this.” Jason said.
“I have to.” Danny said and grabbed an extra helmet from the back. He zipped up his jacket and took a deep breath. When we got there Danny got out of the truck and looked up. People were hanging out of windows and people screaming everywhere. Danny couldn’t even hear his own thoughts. He saw one of the teenagers in one of the windows. It was hard to see which one it was but he knew it was one of them. After about thirty seconds of staring at the teenager she jumped. An 18 year old girl who had her full life ahead of her. She splatted on the pavement. Danny shivered at the sound. After about twenty minutes of getting to the site another plane came. It crashed into the side of one of the Twin Towers. Danny and his team came rushing into the building to save who they could. Another team stayed out side and tried to rescue people from the window. They saved dozens and dozens and dozens that were coming down the stairs. Danny tried to go up the stairs to try to go and get Linda but there were too many people coming down. He couldn’t. After trying and trying Danny and his team came out of the building to get a breath and touch base with the other team. Less than two hours later when they were about thirty yards away from the building its all came crumbling to the ground. Danny’s knee’s went weak. He turned away from the smoke. He closed his eyes tight as a huge dirt cloud covered the streets. Danny opened his eyes and looked at the sky, hoping to see the beautiful blue sky but instead all he saw was black. Black soot and smoke. He couldn’t see one foot in front of him. It hurt to breath. It felt like all time stopped. The only person that was moving was him. He felt like the world was spinning around him although he was standing still. All sound was muffled. He began to get dizzy. He fell to his knee’s. Jason ran to his rescue. He put Danny’s arm around his shoulder and got him away from the scene. There was an ambulance about thirty more yards away. Jason set Danny down and ran back to the scene to help more people. The people in the ambulance checked his pulse and all his vitals. He was fine but his metal state wasn’t. His wife was most likely in that crowd of people in that building. She was probably screaming his name and he couldn’t do anything about it. Danny couldn’t grasp the idea of his wife really being dead. Charlie walked over to Danny. Charlie didn’t know what to say. He knew that Linda was in there but he didn’t have words to say to Danny. He didn’t know what he was going through or anything else.
“Hey, Danny. You holding up?” Charlie asked him while giving him a pat on the back.
“Linda.” Was all Danny could spit out.
“I know man.” Charlie said. “I can’t tell you it will be all right because I don’t know.”
“She was right there and then,” Danny said and stopped in the center of the conversation.
“I’m sorry.” Charlie said. “Look on the bright side. She could have gone out. She could have been somewhere else.”
“No. I just walked out of the building. She was there.” Danny said. Everything was so loud. People screaming and sirens all around. The streets were crowed with people. Some were standing in aw and others were running in the opposite direction. It was a lot to take on at one time.
Danny stood up and put on his helmet.
“I have to do my job!” He said. He jogged off into the smoke leaving Charlie scratching his head. Charlie didn’t know what to think. He was care free, one night stand kind of guy but he knew Linda was a wonderful woman.
“God bless him.” Charlie said as he watched Danny disappear into the thick cloud of dirt.
Danny climbed onto the top of the Fire Truck and used the bull horn.
“Everyone! Evacuate the area! No one can be near this site because of the risk!” He yelled and everyone started walking in the opposite direction. He motioned his team near him.
“Alright men. The dust cloud is clearing up. Lets get in there and see who we can save! Count casualties and report back here. Any sigh of trouble get out immediately! Got it?” Danny asked.
“Got it!” They all shouted to him. This was a big risk for all his men. It was just a huge pile of rubble. People could still be alive. They all ran into the rubble trying to pick it up and find any sign of life. After hours of looking we found someone. It was just a part of a shoe sticking out of a crack. Danny was hopeful that someone was under there. Whoever it was it was under a one foot thick of cement. The cement was about ten feet tall and around that width. There were smaller pieces of that and other things around it. It seemed like there were no way of getting it off this person. Danny knocked twice on the cement.
“If you can hear me knock back!” He yelled. All his men were dead silent desperate to hear that slight sound. After a few seconds of silence he heard a knock. Everyone screamed for joy.
“Relax! We will help you!” Danny yelled. Everyone started removing what they could. “Okay everyone! We need to move this cement! Everyone gather around!” Danny shouted. “On three!” He shouted. Everyone walked around the cement and got there hands in place. “ONE, TWO, THREE!” Everyone yelled and started to pulled up. Just seconds after they heard a gigantic boom. They looked up. The other building was collapsing. They could hear everything coming apart. A few of Danny’s men ran.
“No! We stay till the job is done!” Danny yelled at his men who were running away. Danny shook his head at his selfish men. A few of them still stayed. “Again!” Danny yelled and they tried to get the cement off. Pieces landed all around them.
“Its not budging! We should go!” Charlie yelled through the screaming.
“Before someone gets more hurt!” Another guy added.
“You can go but I’m not leaving until I get this person out!” Danny yelled determined. Some of his men ran away relieved that they were able to leave. Charlie and Jason stayed.
“Were here for you, man.” Jason said while patting his back.
“One for all and all for one!” Charlie yelled.
“Again!” Danny shouted and they tried again. They lifted until there backs almost gave out. Danny fell to his knees
“If you can hear me, please Lord hear me, then say something. Let me know that your okay because I’m not giving up.” Danny said in a soft voice. He leaned into the cement hoping to hear something. Jason put his hand on his shoulder.
“Man, you don’t even know if its her.” He said.
“I know but I have to help someone. I need to.” Danny replied. Then Danny heard something more amazing than anything he’s ever heard. A weak, quiet voice.
“Help.” It mumbled. A smile immediately came to Danny’s face.
“Again!” Danny shouted and his tired men lifted again but still no out come.
“Its too heavy. We’re never going to be able to get if off!” Charlie said.
“I can’t give up.” Danny said. “I just can’t.” The building couldn’t stand up any longer. It was slowly crumbling to the ground.
“Us dying wont help the person under this cement!” Charlie yelled. Danny accepted that it wasn’t going to move. All three of them started to jog away from the scene. As they were jogging Danny stopped.
“Do you hear that?” He asked.
“Hear what?” Jason replied. Danny didn’t answer. He put up his pointed finger and they went quiet. Danny circled trying to find where the sound came from. Everything went in slow motion. Danny was on his breaking point. He just couldn’t leave the site knowing Linda’s some where there. Then he spotted her. She was pinned under fallen rubble and she was unconscious. Danny ran to her rescue. He lifted her head and held her close to his hard chest.
“Linda! Wake up! Please baby. Don’t leave me. You can’t leave me.” Danny pleaded. He took in a deep breath. His lungs filled with the thick smokey air. A tear rolled down his cheek. It landed on Linda’s cheek. Danny brushed her brown hair out of her face. He graced her cheek. He buried his head in her chest and cried.
“Danny?” Linda said just after seconds of his tear landing on her cheek. Almost as if it revived her. He lifted his head.
“Yes. I’m here.” Danny said wiping his tears. Jason and Charlie watched silently.
“I love you.” ” She mumbled. Danny cried more.
“Don’t say that.” He sobbed.
“I love you.” She mumbled again.
“I love you too.” Danny said. “Linda?” Danny asked but she didn’t answer. “Linda!” He yelled. Charlie bent down to Danny.
“She’s gone.” He said. He tried to make Danny stand up but he wouldn’t.
“She can’t be gone! She’s not gone! We were going to have kids. Grandchildren and.. and... She can’t be gone!” He yelled. He cried into her chest. Jason got on one knee with Danny. He was even crying as Danny held her limp body.
“Danny.” Jason said with one hand on his back. Danny knew it. He didn’t want to but he did. He stood up and walked away with Jason and Charlie. Danny was leaving his whole life behind him. He tried to turn around but Jason and Charlie couldn’t let him live that pain. They made him keep walking.


Jason drove Danny home later that night.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay?” He asked as Danny lifelessly got out of his truck. Danny shook his head and went inside. He slid off his boots and and threw his jacket on the floor. He walked up to his room and fell flat on his bed. When he woke up he was in the same spot. He reached his hand over to Linda’s side of the bed and patted to find that she wasn’t there. Then he realized that what happened yesterday wasn’t a dream. He felt like crying but he had to stay strong. He walked outside and walked to the edge of his dock. He stood there watching the sun. He looked down at his reflection in the water. He picked up a pebble and threw it at it. The ripples slip up his face. He sat down and watched his reflection.
“Linda loved this dock. She loved that house. She loved me. But no, she’s gone!” He said and kicked his reflection. Jason came walking up behind him. Danny got up and walked inside. He started picking up and vacuuming. Jason followed behind him.
“Danny, what are you doing?” He asked him.
“Linda will be home soon and she hates when I track in dirt.” He said to Jason. Jason walked up to him and shut of the vacuum.
“Danny! Get a hold of your self! She’s not coming back!” He said as shook him.
“But she has too.” He said.
“The worst things happen to the best people.” Jason sighed. Danny sat the vacuum down and sat on the couch. He hid his face in his hands. Jason sat beside him.
“Why?” Danny asked.
“I don’t know, man.” Jason replied.
“She was so beautiful. Free spirited and always helped others. She was perfect. Why couldn’t it have been me? If I stayed a little longer I could have died and gotten her to safety and she would be here right now.” Danny said.
“Don’t think that way. There is a lot of what if’s but what happened happened and what doesn’t kill you can only make you stronger.” Jason replied trying to give him so uplifting advice but he knew nothing he could say could bring his friend up right now. Danny felt terrible. As if a hole was in his heart. He loved Linda with all his heart. They talked about growing old and having kids but now, he has nothing. Danny walked outside and sat on the edge of the dock and watched as the sun set. His mind drifted and he ended up sitting there all night. In the morning Jason came back to check on Danny but when he saw he was in the exact spot that he left him, he began to get worried.
“Danny?” Jason asked. Danny sat there lifelessly. Jason walked up behind him and placed a hand on Danny’s shoulder. Danny grabbed Jason’s hand and squeezed it so tightly that his circulation was getting cut off. Jason tried pulling his hand away but Danny was too strong. “Danny, come on. Let go!” Jason yelled helplessly. Danny let go.
“Talk to me.” Jason said as he stretched his hand that feeling had just came back to.
“What do you expect me to say?” Danny asked as he shook his head. Jason mumbled to himself. “Do you want me to say that I think about her everyday? Do you want me to say that some days I wish that I didn’t wake up? I try so hard to act like a man but all I want to do is crumble into a ball and cry all day long. Is that what you want me to say? Because I could say all that but it wouldn’t make a difference.” Danny said and walked towards his house. He went inside and leaned against his kitchen counter as Jason followed him and stopped in the door way. Danny traced his hands on the granite counter.
“Say it if it will make you feel better.” Jason said.
“You know what will make me feel better!” Danny exploded. “To have my wife here under my arm like every morning! That’s what will make me feel better but that’s not going to happen.” Danny told him.
“I can’t even pretend to know what your going through because I don’t have any clue.” Jason began to say.
“You’re right! You don’t have a fucking clue! To know that I’m widowed and that my wife died right in these hands, is heart breaking.” Danny interrupted as he held out his hands. Danny started to cry but he stopped himself. He put two hands on the granite and looked at Linda’s cooking books and her cooking jars. He then wiped his hands all through the counter smashing the books and glass jars on the floor. The glass shattered just like his tears. “I can’t do it any longer.” Danny mumbled as he looked at his cut hands. A drip of blood fell from his ring finger. It shattered like glass as it hit the floor. Danny leaned back to the counter and slid down to the floor. He sat there, staring at the drip of blood that shattered. Jason sat on the floor with Danny.
“I’m here for you.” Jason said. Danny couldn’t hear what Jason said. His mind was else where. He was thinking about Linda and there last conversation.
“Danny.” She said as she smiled. She stood up and kissed him. Danny embraced her.
“I’ve missed you, Linds.” He said. She pulled away from his hug.
“Don’t you think I’ve missed you?” She asked.
“I know you miss me. I just hate that we have to struggle to make time for each other.” Danny said.
“That’s why I love you. You would do anything for me. I don’t know what my life would be without you.” Linda said. A tear rolled down his face as he reminisced about Linda. He couldn’t grasp the fact that she would never walk through that day again. That that kiss was the last kiss he would ever feel. He couldn’t accept that because then that would mean that she was really gone.Jason washed Danny’s hands as Danny thought of his last time with Linda. Danny snapped back to reality. He stood up and walked to the end of the dock. The dock was Linda’s favorite part of the house. She loved watching the sunset and rise. He stood at the end of the dock. Jason watched from the house. Jason knew something was weird. He looked carefully at Danny. Danny fell face first in the water. Jason ran up from behind him.
“Danny, No!” Jason screamed. He sprinted to the water and dived in searching for Danny. He found him and pulled him back out of the water. Jason pulled him onto shore. Jason pounded on Danny’s chest. Danny coughed up water. “Are you crazy?” Jason asked him.
“Why did you save me?” Danny asked.
“Because! You just tried to commit suicide! Its bad enough that Linda’s gone but you don’t have to be gone too!” He told Danny. “I know you miss her, I miss her too, but that doesn’t mean you kill yourself. You will get through this Danny and I will help.” Jason told him.

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Tag der Veröffentlichung: 05.01.2012

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