Spoiler! :
"Lyla, should I go?" my sister asked me, the other night.
We were in her room and she was getting ready for a trip to San Francisco in California. She was going away with some friends for some sort of internship. I wanted to come but I couldn't. I had school to go to in Pennsylvania. I was going to the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute.
My sister and I were twins and we had our fair share of differences. I liked how she wore her hair in nice curls and she looked so sophisticated. Her hazel eyes were her best feature. My eyes were light brown and I wore my hair straight and I had no idea how I looked. Tomboyish maybe.
I appreciated my sister's dreams so I really wanted her to go. I didn't want her to stay home and regret not taking any chances. It would be the first time we ever separated. I just had to make sure she got on her plane safely.
"If it's something you want, take it before someone else does." I advised
She smiled at me. Today was September 8th, 2001.
The next morning I drove Cali to Newark, New Jersey on my way to Pennsylvania. We came here so we can spend at least one last day with each other. Our mother cried as she watched us twin sisters exit out the door, heading out to the new world.
"Mom," I said. "We can take care of each other. We have everything under control."
We went off to sleep and then I woke up in the middle of the night to find that Cali was crying. It was almost midnight. She was stuttering and I couldn't comprehend of what she was saying.
"What happened?" I kept asking.
She finally calmed down. "Deron dumped me! Over a phone call!"
It was late at night and I really wanted to get her on her plane on time. "Cali, you don't need him."
"But I loved him." she argued
"You're going to let a guy get in the way of your dreams? That's pathetic!"
Cali was the real emotional twin and judging by her reaction, I crossed a line. "Are you calling me pathetic?"
"By the way you're acting, yes."
She got off her bed and looked at me directly in the eye. "How could you say that? You're a joke Lyla. This is why no one will like you. Because you have no emotion!"
She knew that was wrong but tonight, she did not want to lose even though it was clear to me she already did.
"Cali, arguing is not going to get us anywhere."
"No Lyla, just shut up!"
This was the most ridiculous argument I ever had with her and we had a lot. I shook it off and went to go back to sleep. I could hear her getting off her bed and taking the covers with her. She closed the door to the bedroom. She was sleeping on the couch tonight. I knew what she was going to do. Take the early bus to the train to go to the airport. She did not want to see me tomorrow.
* * *
I woke up the next morning to find that Cali had left early. It was around seven so she probably was already there. I know by about nine thirty she would be in the air. I went to text her or call her but she ignored my calls and didn't reply to my texts.
After eating breakfast, I was on my way to Pennsylvania. I looked at my phone to check the date. Today was September 10th.
Cali finally sent me a text.
I'm staying with a friend at a hotel but don't worry, I'm still in Newark.I will be leaving tomorrow.
This brought me relief. The ride to Pennsylvania took six hours and a few minutes so I stopped in a nearby town and paid for a room in a motel. I would continue going to Pittsburgh the next day. I wanted to say goodbye to my sister so badly but I had no idea what friend she was staying with. I tried calling again but I didn't get an answer.
I went to a restaurant and I could see guys coming in from work. Two guys came in with excited looks on their faces. They're clothes were dirty and they looked like they've been working a coal mine.
"Where have you guys been?" asked the waitress
"We've been checking out that coal mine in StoneyCreek. Want to come?"
Curiosity took over me. I really wanted a sense of adventure to get my mind off my sister. "Hey can I come?"
The two guys looked at me in surprise. They looked at each other and then looked back at me.
"You sure you want to? Doesn't really seem like a place for a young lady like yourself." said the one with blond hair.
The other one was black and he smiled at me. "I think she can handle it."
"You staying around here? "
"Yeah."
"She can come."
I went back to the motel after planning the trip with the guys. I set up an alarm so I can at least try to call my sister before she departed.
Before I could go to sleep, I prayed for her. I wasn't the one for church going but I had some faith in me. I wanted her to be safe and I prayed that God would show me any way to save her.
Then, I fell asleep
* * *
I woke up at seven once again and went to get a quick breakfast. By the time the guys picked me up, it was around 8:44. We weren't going to the coal mine exactly. I decided to go see more of Pennsylvania before I went. We stopped to get some gas and then we were going to the coal mine. I was so eager but I realized I never said goodbye to my sister. Guilt pored over me but it was too late. She was already on the plane.
"Want to go get something to eat before we go?" asked the blonde. His name was Roger. His friend's name was Mark.
We went to go get some snacks in the store. The manager was watching TV and then I heard something.
"The North Tower was hit! Seconds later, so is the South Tower!"
I rushed to the manager's desk and looked at the TV.
"What's happening? What are they talking about?"
He didn't answer me but kept on staring at the TV.
"What time is it?" I asked one of the guys
Mark took out his watch. "It's nine fifty. Why?"
"Pentagon was hit! What a tragic day it is for America!"
The manager kept on staring at the TV. I could see a tear rolling down his cheek.
"My daughter worked at the South Tower." he whispered
"Reports have been said that Flight 93 may also be hijacked..."
Flight 93. That was the flight Cali was on!
I ran out of the station and started looking up at the sky. There was nothing up there. I pulled out my cellphone and dialed Cali's number. It kept going through straight to voice mail and at times, I couldn't get through.
"Cali! Cali! Cali! If you hear me, please. I love you Cali! Please tell me everything is okay Cali. " Tears came down my cheeks. I heard a loud roar that was coming from an airplane. I looked up. I saw the plane. Flight 93.
"Lyla wait! Don't go!" Mark and Roger warned
I kept running. I think it was heading for the coal mine but then Mark and Roger caught me and wouldn't let go.
"No! No! No!"
"Lyla, you can't do anything!"
The planes nose was pointing down and then came the huge explosion.
"Cali! Cali! Cali..."
* * *
I woke up with a start and looked around me. I checked my cellphone.
September 11th, 2001.
It was six'o clock so I had plenty of time. I got dressed and got in my car.
"Lyla, where you going?" Roger and Mark stopped me in the middle of the road but I had no time to waste.
"I'm going to save me sister."
"What about Pittsburgh? Don't you have class later on?"
"No time to waste!"
I rushed and prayed for me to get to Newark on time. I called my sister once more.
"Hello," she said "Lyla, what is it. I'm waiting for my flight. It's coming in half an hour."
I ignored her bitter attitude "Cali, whatever you do, don't go on that flight!"
"What? Why?"
"Just don't. I can't explain!"
She let out an annoyed sigh and then hung up.
"Damn it!"
I started driving faster and in only thirty five minutes I made it. I ran inside the airport, getting past the officers and attendees.
"Miss, get back here! You must have a ticket!"
I kept running. "I'm going to save my sister!"
I soon attracted a crowd of police officers and then I found my sister. I held onto her arm.
"Cali, don't go!"
She tried to free herself out of my grasp but I held on tightly. "Lyla, let me go."
I felt a strong hand on my shoulder. It was a police officer and he had back up.
"Miss, is this girl bothering you?" he asked Cali
I looked at Cali, tears ready to come out. "Cali, please don't go."
"You told me to!"
The police tugged on my shoulder trying to make me let go of Cali.
"Cali, just don't go! Take the next flight. Tomorrow. Please."
"Miss, your sister is trying to get to her flight. I advise you let go." the police officer said
"Take the tomorrow flight! Please."
The police officer freed her out of my grasp and they started bringing me away.
"Cali, don't go. Go tomorrow!"
She stood there and looked at my tears. "Stop. I will stay."
She walked out of the airport and the police assured her they will get her luggage back soon.
"I hate you! Now I'm late for my internship in San Francisco! What's wrong with you?!"
I didn't say anything on the ride to a motel. We got inside and then I turned on the TV. It was 8:44 by the time we got to the motel.
I was watching a cartoon but I knew what was going to happen. Cali sat on her bed and started to take a nap.
Nothing happened. I was still watching this dumb cartoon. Maybe it was just a dream. Before I could turn off the tv, I switched to the news to make sure.
If only it was a dream. " North Tower was hit! It was thought of being an accident but then the South Tower gets hit also. What has become of our nation!"
I saw Cali automatically get up. Her eyes were wide with horror and she sat closer to the TV.
I looked at the clock. It was about nine thirty six . Maybe this could be all the horror we could experience.
"Just in, the Pentagon has been hit!" No, this could not be happening
Words kept flying from the TV but I didn't want to listen to them. We didn't have family in any of those places but then again, I still worried. Deron had an internship in the North Tower. Cali looked traumatized.
I turned off the TV but she took the remote from me and turned it back on. We watched footage of the attack and we saw the South Tower collapse.
"It is said that Flight 93 is hijacked..."
Cali turned her head to the TV and went to sit back in front of it. "Flight 93. That was...my flight."
She turned to me. "Lyla...how did you know?"
"I had a vision," I told her "I know it sounds crazy but-"
She came up to me and gave me a tight hug. "I'm so sorry for being a brat the other night. I'm so glad to have you in my life!"
She kept hugging me and words just kept coming out of her mouth. I tried to take them in but then again, those people. What about the ones who lost their family members? I felt sick to my stomach.
"But those people...."
"Lyla, at least we have each other." she said
"But those people..."
"You can't save everyone Lyla. I'm glad you were here to save me."
Weeks later, we went to the crash site of the flight. Roger and Mark were there too.
"You're lucky," Mark told Cali. " Your sister is a hero."
We walked to where the impact was. Cali held my hand and squeezed it.
"Lyla, that could have been me."
The sad thing is, it was. If only that had happened. Every year I try to get that fantasy and try to bring it to life but I was too late. At least I said I loved her. I tell myself that often to try to make me feel better but it never could do much. I still went to school because I knew my sister would want that. To see her twin fulfill her dreams.
I would often go to the crash site and try to see if she would emerge from a neighboring tree or something and tell me that she wasn't on the plane after all. That she overslept that morning and missed her flight. But these were far-fetched. They never happened.
She was with God now. I just hope she was one of the passengers who tried to fight for her freedom. I know she would be.
Now, I'm at the crash site and I say goodbye to Cali. As I walk away, I see her laughing and dancing. She's smiling at me and holding out a hand.
I stood there, frozen. I was afraid that if I touched her, she would disappear.
"Lyla, you're my hero." she whispers
Then she disappears at the first gust of wind.
I see a man walking with his wife. They look like an old couple.
"Hello, young lady," says the man. "Visiting this evening?"
I nod my head.
"Our son was on that flight. Along with his wife. Good people they were." said the woman.
"I will never forget...ehh...what was the name of the flight again honey?"
I hated the number but I couldn't keep on doing it. "Flight 93, sir. "
"Ah yes. I will never forget Flight 93."
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