Shockwave

Author’s Note: Here is a mini sneak peek at a beginning scene from upcoming book 4 in the Timeless American Historical Romance series of books, scheduled to release May 30th. Click cover for preorder discount pricing.

Running around the house at lightning speed, Jackie searched every nook and cranny, but couldn’t find her homework. And she was late for school. When she reached the living room, she saw looks of terror on her grandparents’ faces.

“What’s going on?” she asked anxiously.

Her grandfather William stood up and ushered her to the couch.

“Something horrible happened, honey. A plane hit the north tower of the World Trade Center and it’s on fire. They’re trying to evacuate people in both towers now, but it’s pretty bad.”

Jackie felt numb all over. “Will my parents be able to get out?”

She gulped for breath not knowing what to believe. Every bad thought she could think of was racing through her mind.

Her grandparents grabbed her hands and squeezed tightly.

“The North Tower was hit, so they should be able to evacuate from the South Tower. All we can do is wait,” her grandmother Peggy said.

Jackie looked at the screen and saw dark black smoke billowing out of the building.

Then suddenly, the TV announcer screamed, “There’s a plane headed for the other tower.”

Right before their eyes, a flash of light filled the TV and they saw the South Tower explode with flames shooting from every angle.

“Oh my God!” William shouted and Peggy gasped, clutching him.

Jackie sat there paralyzed, staring at the TV without blinking or veering her gaze as the announcer spoke.

“NYPD and firefighters are trying to evacuate people down the stairs of the towers but have very little ability at this height to fight this kind of jet fuel explosion. Only God can help these people now.”

Sirens saturated the TV speakers as they watched firefighters, police and paramedics race to the scene as the blinding black smoke emanating like a geyser from the buildings turned to gray and then white.

Suddenly, the show whisked back to the announcer raising his voice in panic.

“We’ve just been informed that New York is not the only victim of this surgical attack on the United States. Flight 77 from Washington Dulles airport has crashed into the Pentagon.”

The television showed an aerial view of the collapsed section of the oddly shaped Pentagon smoking, on fire.

Her eyes fixated on the TV, Jackie was captive the announcer’s every word.

“We’re seeing more and more of the evacuees from the towers pouring out, but still so many are yelling out the windows begging to be rescued,” he said as the screen showed people wrapped in wool blankets stagger from the building covered in white dust.

But then they heard a loud startling sound, like the roar of a freight train. Dense white smoke surged from one tower as it plummeted to the ground as fast as an elevator plunging to zero.

They all jumped to their feet and exclaimed, “Oh, no!”

The TV announcer shouted with emotion. “The 110-story south tower has just collapsed to the ground. It’s mayhem. People on the street are running for their lives in horror. It’s absolutely incomprehensible!”

With the South Tower in ruins, they all knew chances were bleak.

“How can this be happening?” Peggy cried in disbelief.

She hugged Jackie and saw a single tear fall from her granddaughter’s eye.“They’ll never get out now,” Jackie said somberly.

But before they could catch their breath, the screen returned to the announcer.We’re getting breaking news that Flight 93 from Newark airport crashed into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Our affiliate is reporting that one of the passengers called his wife from the plane and told her that they were overtaking the hijackers and would crash the plane if they had to, so it didn’t hit the White House and kill the president. I’m stunned viewers. This is the worst assault on our country since Pearl Harbor.”

The smoldering ruins of the plane on the TV brought tears to each of them, holding each other close. But then the announcer abruptly yelled.

“Oh no! The North Tower has just collapsed. This is just horrendous. I have no words.”

Staring at the television in silence, hearing only the screams coming from the site, time stopped for Jackie.

For hours, they sat with their eyes locked on the screen, willing the phone to ring with news, but it didn’t. Then the fire chief appeared on the TV.

“Rescue workers are speaking via cell phone and radio to people trapped in the rubble.”

William perked up. “See, there are people still alive. They can get them out now. Have faith.”

But Jackie didn’t respond. All she could do was gaze intently at the TV.  

Hours later, as darkness blanketed the windows, more news trickled from the TV with government updates, scattered stories of escape, and endless experts doing their best to make sense of the senseless tragedy. But practically no stories of those who escaped the rubble as a reporter on TV stood in darkness.

“The scene is eerie in lower Manhattan tonight. The normal blare of city noise is strangely silent. Traffic and other lights are dim. All you can see is the beams of light from the thousands of emergency vehicles all looking for signs of life,” the reporter said.

The trio remained cemented in their positions with their eyes locked on the disturbing TV images. The search continued, but it was a race against time. They all knew the longer they didn’t hear anything, the worse the outcome would be.

As the morning light peeked through the tall linen living room curtains, the sunbeams shined on the three sleeping on the couch, their heads resting atop each other like dominos until the ring the phone jolted them from their slumber. Barely awake, Peggy fumbled to answer.

“Hello?” she said. After a few seconds, she nodded as she listened. “I understand. That sounds horrible.”

Jackie hung on every word, her eyes getting bigger and bigger wondering who was on the phone. Watching her grandmother’s concerned face, she could barely allow herself to hope.

“I’m so glad you got out,” she continued. “Thank you for letting me know”.”

As Peggy hung up the phone, it was obvious from her expression, the news was not good.

Jackie held her breath, trying not to cry. “That wasn’t Mom, was it?” she said.

Peggy took Jackie’s hands, trying to stifle the tsunami of tears in her own eyes. “That was Linda from your mother’s office, dear. She got out with some others, but they can’t find either of your parents.”

Jackie collapsed onto Peggy’s shoulder and tears rolled down her face.

William swept his arms around both and embraced them.

“We don’t know anything for sure yet. I’m sure it’s chaos down there. We need to have hope,” he said.

Jackie lifted her head and squeezed their hands. “You’re both so wonderful to reassure me, but somehow I know in my heart. They’re gone.”

(c) 2024 Suzanne Rudd Hamilton