story9508.xml

story9508.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2003-09-08

I was at Washington-Lee High School. The closest high school to the Pentagon. We were just starting second period when we got the news, planes had crashed into the World Trade Center. The teacher turned on the television and that began the ritual that all teachers would do for the remained of the day. We sat with our eyes glued to the tv, some students in shock, other with tears in their eyes. The room was so quiet and that only made the voice of the reporter more omnious as he report what had happened to the World Trade Center.
Then about a hour later, ww got news that a plane had crashed into the Pentagon. The school went into lockdown. Cell phones, banned usually in school, were alllowed as students, with parents and relatives that worked around the Pentagon area, madly dialed phone numbers, hoping for their voices to answer that they are fine.
For the rest of the day, all students remain in school, watching the news. We felt fear, sadness, angry. We were frighten, scared, mad. Many had question. How could this happen? Why didn't anyone know? but then we realize that was what made it a terroists attack. It was a surprise attack that was to cause fear. And we fell for it.