September 11th

As September 11th, 2001 occurred, I was sitting in my third period class in 8th grade. Running down the hallway, you could hear the high heels of our principal stopping in on classrooms one by one asking to speak with the teacher. As Mrs. Bynum walked into my third period science class and asked for Mr. Carter, I became scared. What was going on? As our principal entered our room a few minutes later, our teacher did not. Not only was my third period science teacher a teacher, he had worked for the government for many years at the pentagon before retiring back to his hometown of Russellville and becoming a science teacher. Our entire class knew of his past and when he did not return, I was frightened and knew something wasn't right. As our principal told us there was a government emergency and Mr. Carter wouldn't be back that day, that was all we were informed. The entire hour, we were left alone with our teacher next door checking on us as our principal exited and returned her loud heels to running up and down the hallway and in and out of class rooms. It was not until fourth period did the television screens come on. As we were told we did not know what was going on by our teachers, we watched the television in horror of watching planes crash into the world trade center repetivly. After fourth period, the news was out everywhere. We were told we could call our parents and leave school, or stay for the remainder of the day. I called my parents scared and confused, they told me I was ok and to stay at school. As the day progressed none of our teachers taught class. All we did was move from classroom to classroom watching the television for updates of what was happening to our country. The hallways were silent, the classrooms were silent, no one knew how to react. I was terrified not only for our country but for my town. Russellville has a nuclear plant and our town was immediately on high alert. If the nuclear plant was bombed our entire town would be wiped out immediately from the nuclear gas. This was mine and my friends biggest fear on that day. What if that happened... I remember constantly having tears in my eyes and not being able to remove my eyes from the television screen. I wanted answers, and they weren't being answered. Why was this happening to us? America is a strong country and until that day the government had never been an interesting subject to me. Walking outside that day at 3:10 waiting on my father to pick me up was frightening. None of us wanted to leave the safe walls we had continued to walk all day knowing we were safe inside with one another. What would we do once 3:10 hit. I made my father take me to his office with him and sat there until he got off just because I was scared to be alone. September 11th still is a vivid moment in my memory because it is the first time I felt safe no where.