September 11, 2001. 6:53. Angalina Sopher read over the astronomical number that played across her screen. Over $90,000 in student debt. Which had been growing and growing since she graduated college four years ago. She ran a rough palm over her face and hovered her finger over her phone to type in the phone number of her mother. She was awfully tempted to call over, beg for money, but her pride pulled her finger away from the device and onto her lap. She had not called them deliberately herself in years. Angalina used to be close with her parents, dependent even, but a rough betrayal broke her heart two weeks before she went off to college. She moved out three days after, staying with a friend until her college was expecting students to arrive. Her parents had been sweet to her in order to gain back the relationship they had before, but Angalina never let it be the same. 

 Angalina’s parents also had financial troubles and would take out another mortgage on their house for her if they were aware of her predicament, but no matter their past problems, she would never cause them to struggle even more than they already did. Angalina’s gaze shifted to the clock at the bottom of her computer screen. Angalina’s interview starts

at 8:15. She had been counting on this interview, located in the north twin tower. It was a spectacular opportunity that Angalina had been picturing all four years of her college life. It promised a good salary, amazing benefits, and an actual office. Angalina practically drooled at the idea. It had been undoubtedly hard after college for Angalina. She would turn away any job prospect that she did not find suitable for all the hard work, time and moneyshe put into her education. However, she was not living the way she wanted to then, barely making ends meet while also drowning in large student debt. Angalina pulled her dark, curly hair behind her ear and pressed the power button on her computer, the screen faded to black in a second. With forced confidence and a heartbeat that seemed like it was dancing to a hip hop song, Angalina took a step toward her closet in order to get ready for the job interview. 7:39, Angalina swore as she processed the time reading

off the digital clock. Angalina could only afford the cheapest motel she could find, ten miles away from the twin towers and unfortunately, Angalina was not in possession of a car. With all the traffic going on in New York, Angalina gave herself a mental smack for not preparing more carefully as she rushed outside of the building.

     It was 7:46 when Angalina finally waved over a taxi. “Hi,” she quickly  said to the driver and when silence began to fill the yellow vehicle like a toxin, she also added, “the twin towers please!” The man gave her a nod and pushed on the gas pedal. 8:06. Angalina watched as the price skyrocketed past what she could genuinely afford on a taxi ride. Total: $36. There was only one mile left, but as Angalina counted the scarce amount of bills in her dollartree wallet, she realized she was only carrying $67, keeping in mind the ride back to the motel.Once they reached a red light,                                                 hesitantly she sheepishly tapped the driver’s                                                        shoulder lighty and asked to be let                                                                                     out. In the middle of the                                                                                       road. The man finally gave                                                                                her some type of a response, molding his face into a face full of judgment and  

sincere concern. “Thank you, but uhm… I can’t afford another mile,” when the silence dragged on, Angalina realized she had not paid the man yet. She let out a nervous chuckle and an awkward “oh!”, pulled out $36 quickly and opened the taxi door in the middle of the road. 8:08, Angalina’s watch read. “I can make it,” she thought, reminiscing about her time on the track team in highschool. However, everyone in New York seemed fluid with the crowd and Angalina did not know how to maneuver through the large cluster of people. Angalina in fact did not make it. 8:17. She scurried through the large front doorway and to the front desk where a large woman stood, she clicked away at her computer with the most dull facial expression. Miss Mcquelle, her name tag read.

    “Hello, uhm, excuse me,” Angalina quickly managed to say as she tried to catch her breath.

    It seemed to take forever for the woman to turn her head and face Angalina. “Yes?” Miss Mcquelle said in a deep, slow, monotone voice. 

    “My name is Angalina Sopher, I was told I need to check in with you in order to receive a pass for the day. You see, I have an interview in…” Angalina took a moment to check her watch, 8:18 “three minutes ago! And I really need to go,” she uttered as she gave the large lady a quirky, forced smile.

    "Angalina Sopher?" Miss Mquelle questioned and 

Angalina nodded quickly. “Ah yes, your interview is canceled,”. Angalina’s heart dropped and it took her three tries before she managed to come up with any words.

“T-That must be a mistake though? You see uhm, I really need this,” Angalina blurted out in an effort to ascertain that there was any hope left. 

    “No mistake, Miss Sopher,”

    “Well, could we call up to them please, I would really like to make sure there is no mistake,” 

    “That would be superfluous, I was just informed”,

    “Well, c-can it be rescheduled?”

    “Hm, I am not sure Miss Sopher, I was only informed that it is not happening,” Miss Mcquelle gave Angalina a wicked smile and fixed her gaze back onto her computer, developing the same dull, stoic expression again that she had on before. 

    “Excuse me bu-” Angalina continued, but got sharply cut off.

“I am sure you can reach out on your own and give them a plausible argument. Bye bye now Miss Sopher,” Miss Maquelle 

declared loudly, like Angalina had ruined her whole day by not leaving beforehand. Angalina sputtered a few unheard of words before she decided that she is speechless. She readjusted the strap on her beat up old bag and walked shamefully toward the large front doorway.

    Angalina forced a step into her room, then shrugged the rugged door to the room closed. She sank to the floor and let out a quiet sob. Something she had been blinking away and swallowing from the time she got into the eight and a half mile taxi ride to the one and a half mile walk back to this insufferable, cheap building. She buried her face in her hands and curled inward, having only herself to comfort her. 8:39. Angalina glared at the clock hung above  the desk. Angalina played the moment in her head again and the sadness she had just been feeling transformed into anger. Anger toward Miss Mcquelle, 

her parents, the unfriendly taxi drivers, and mostly herself. 

For not reaching the expectations everyone had from her since 

she was young, frustration that had been building for years 

bubbling over. She grasped a chunk of her hair in her fist and 

buried her face further into her lap, she kicked at the air in front

her and sobbed harder into her elbow that covered her face. Angalina listened to the hands on the clock click. Click, click, click. She slipped out a shaky breath, sniffles coming out of her nose, and rubbed her puffy eyes with the back of her knuckles. 8:42. Angalina was just outside, but walking into this room evoked her with a sharp pang of resentment. She rose abruptly and stalked out of the room. 

    8:44. I could have been in there right now. Angalina thought, gazing at the shining twin towers miles away. She imagined the way it could have been, the shake of the hand between her and the employer, the jokes she had planned, landing, causing a pleased chuckle, the embellished anecdotes she would share, the call from the office that congratulated her on the job.  She imagined the way it could have been, the shake of the hand between her and the employer, the jokes she had planned, landing, causing a pleased chuckle, the embellished anecdotes she would share, the call from the office that congratulated her on the job. Tears pricked at her eyes again. 

8:55. The sunlight ruptured Angalina in the eyes, causing a slight 

ringing in her ear. She sat on a park bench just outside the motel

 and fidgeted with her feet and hands. 8:56. Angalina gazed around at the strangers around her. A man leaned on a tree as his dog  sniffed around at a bush. An old woman walked with a younger woman, seemingly having a cheery conversation. A middle aged man got dragged along the street by a determined looking young girl with two ponytails that stuck out from the top of her head. Angalina let out another slow, shaky breath right before she saw it. A large commercial airplane flying dangerously low to the ground. Angalina followed it with her eyes, furrowing her eyebrows as it flew to the left, right toward the

 twin towers. Angalina let out another slow, shaky breath right before she saw it. A large commercial airplane flying dangerously low to the ground. The next thing she knew, screams and wails accompany a painful ringing in her ears, following a large blast. She saw it before she heard it. The plane crashed loudly into the North tower. People ran around the park, kids grasped onto their guardians as they tried to escape the park, but Angalina stood rooted on the bench. The dog from before started barking at the sky as its owner tried to drag it away. The young woman tried to shield the older woman away from the huge accident. The middle aged man carried the little girl from her hips as she cried loudly into the air. Angalina’s breath began to quicken and she no longer tried to blink away the tears producing from her eyes. She was only brought back to reality as the debris and smoke caused her to gag and strain her throat for air. The North tower went up in flames around the crash site,