This is a photograph of the sky outside my apratment in Silver Spring, Maryland. What was remarkable to me is that this patch of sky normally has more than a dozen aircraft and contrails since it is in the flight paths for Reagan National, Dulles, Andrews, Bolling, and College Park airports. There were no planes for a few days after 9/11. It was such a beautiful sky during those days, and even more so for the lack of contrails. I would have loved to have seen those planes again on 9/12 when this was taken, but would have been very scared to see even one then. I was in Washington, D.C. on 9/11 where I work as a computer specialist for the Architect of the Capitol. My office is in view of the Capitol dome. I heard a plane overhead after the Pentagon had been hit (where I also used to work) and watched that beautiful dome in that clear September morning air - so much anxiety - until that aircraft went away. It was probably flying overhead to avoid the plume from the Pentagon. We fled the city that morning across the South Capitol Street bridge, watching the black smoke rise above the city. This is making me cry to write this.