It's a Long Way Down

by Cobweb

Add to AIMShare

“What a nightmare,” Roberto thought to himself as he stared at the back of three other people’s heads. The elevator was jammed as full as it could possibly get with other early morning nic-fitters and seemed to stop at every floor on the way down, to pick up more.

He struggled to get his phone out of his front pocket and check the time. 8:31am and still 30 floors down to sweet freedom for a few minutes, a cigarette and maybe a bagel. It’s a long way from Morgan Stanley’s offices on the 95th where he’s been training under the financial wizards.

Roberto checked the time again as the lobby came closer, a deep booming echoing from somewhere outside. Thunder? But it was beautiful just a half hour ago.

8:47am and the doors dinged and slid open into the lobby. Chaos greeted Roberto there at the bottom, shouting, running, confusion. Something bad had just happened. He walked out to the exit and looked up. There was a huge amount of smoke, but no source was evident.

He opened his phone and dialed: 911. No answer.

Prequels

Write a prequel

Sequels

Write a sequel

Comments

Average Reader Rating: 5.0 stars out of 5

  1. It's a Long Way Down

    Fyora Cartagan's Buddy Icon Fyora Cartagan

    Posted about 1 year ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    So many stories about 9/11…And so well done. I just couldn’t do it, myself. Kudos.

  2. It's a Long Way Down

    Cobweb's Buddy Icon Cobweb

    Posted about 1 year ago

    This one’s about my cousin. He made it out and walked all the way to his girlfriends place in Long Island. It’s been fictionalized to protect the innocent. Heh.

  3. It's a Long Way Down

    Stovohobo's Buddy Icon Stovohobo

    Posted about 1 year ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Yes, I agree with Fyora. This is great, and somehow, when I’m reading the stories today, I just think their just another ficlet, and at the end they reveal their 9/11 relevance.

  4. It's a Long Way Down

    SKermitgorf's Buddy Icon SKermitgorf

    Posted about 1 year ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    very well done. i just can’t write of that day. or watch the tv on the annversaries.

  5. It's a Long Way Down

    m8ryx's Buddy Icon m8ryx

    Posted about 1 year ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    The nuclear bomb equivalent to taking a bullet in the cigarette-case. At least Roberto need never feel a pang of guilt dragging a cig—bagels don’t stop bullets. But the weight must sit heavy.

Want to comment on this ficlet? You need to sign in!