story4297.xml

story4297.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-11

I was on my way to work. I took the train to cortlandt st. As the train arrived at the station and the doors opened I felt a tremble. Not knowing what had happened I started to go up the stairs entering the world trade center to catch the path train. A woman started yelling OH MY GOD. I said what happened? She was crying and sacred. Again I said what happened. She replied I think a bomb went off in the building or something and you can't come in this way. I said to myself well then I have to go to the street. I headed up the stairs and debree come down. I leaned on the rail of the steps and went out to the street from cortlandt station. I then saw the first plane had already entered the building. I thought it was just an accident. I looked up and saw the plane and the fire coming out of the building. I kept looking up in disbelief and then the second one hit the next tower. I couldn't move my body form where I was and felt terrified. I stood there crying and saying OH MY GOD what is this. This is not an accident. I kept looking and listening to other people yelling and crying. I still could not move my body. I felt frozen there. I started to look up at the people that were jumping out of the tower and thought it was debree but it wasn't. I cried even more as I heard their bodies hit the pavement. Suddenly someone bumped into me and then I was able to move myself from the spot I was in. I tried to find some place to go to get out of the way of everything in my way. I went into a building and stood against a wall. I then realized that this building had glass windows all over the place. I knew that this wasn't safe and ran out. I started telling people what are you doing standing here. Get out and run somewhere for safety. But no one moved. I started to run but didn't know which way to go. I looked around and started toward the ferry. I just wanted to go home.I got to the ferry only to find out that the boat had stopped running as well. I was scared that something else was going to happen. I stood against the wall of the terminal and prayed that this would be over soon. I thought that what would happen now was that the people trying to take the same boat would stampeed on top of me. Well I must say that everyone was just as nice as could be. The doors opened and we got on the boat. When the boat started to pull out of the pier I looked out of the windows of the ferry only to see the tower totally ingulfed in smoke. I kept looking and said to someone where are the towers and they said crying they are gone. I couldn't see clearly any more because the tears blured my vision. Everone on the boat were trying to use their cell phones and not many were getting through to anyone. Well we finally reached S.I. I felt better that I was close to home. When I got off the boat to the terminal to take the bus We were told to just get on the bus and don't worry about paying. The bus driver kept saying come on just get on the bus. This was and is the most horrific thing that I can say I have ever seen or want to see again. I have found it difficult to get past this day and I will always remember SEPT.11,2001

Yolanda Pickering