9-11 Zoey 101

September 10, 2001, Days Hotel, 8:00pm.

Quinn Marie Pensky, 17, is packing her bags, she's getting ready to fly back to Pacific Coast Academy the next day after representing her school in a science competition held in New Jersey. She's at the phone with her friend Zoey while looking at the golden medal she got that afternoon.

-Oh the medal is beautiful, and I got you and Lola some cool gifts too.

-You didn't had to do that, really, we're eager to see you tomorrow, Mr. Bender said he could drive us to the airport to get you.

-Really? And Mark?

-He'll be there don't worry.

-Thank you Zoey you're the best.

September 10, 2001, in an unknown location, 9:00pm

Four Arabian men recite prayers and shave themselves in the eve of what was about to become the darkest day in the history of the world.

September 11, 2001, 5:00am.

Quinn checked out of the hotel and boarded a cab to the Newark Airport, she double checked her tickets: United Airlines Flight 93, bond to leave NJ at 8:40am towards San Francisco, California. She was excited; she was coming back with another gold medal for PCA and her boyfriend Mark Del Figgalo was going to be waiting for her at the airport. At 7:00 she already had her boarding pass and was having a croissant and a cappuccino while waiting for the time of boarding, she didn't noticed the four men that were sitting near her.

September 11, 2001, 8:00am

All passengers began to board the plane, Quinn passed by a man who just glared at her, she looked for her seat, 20B, she sat beside a woman who was in her 80s.

-Hi, nice medal yo have there -she said

Quinn remembered that she was wearing the medal she got the day before.

-Thank you, my name is Quinn, I won it on a science competition yesterday.

-I'm Hilda, then you must be a very bright girl.

Quinn smiled at her and began to read a book until she fell asleep as the plane began to move on the runway.

September 11, 2001, 9:15am, PCA Academy, Malibu, California

Zoey, Chase, Michael, Logan and Lola are in class when the principal's assistant literally busted in and gave Mr. Bender a note, the man's face went pale and he ran out with her.

-What's going on? -Zoey asked

-I don't know... I'll search on the web for news... this is weird... CNN is down... Michael can you see ABC's website? -Chase asked

-No can do...

Logan got up and walked to the tv located in front of the classroom, he turned it on and began to search for a news channel, it didn't took long, as he got to the second station, images of a plane slamming into the WTC appeared.

-oh my God -Zoey said

Everyone glared in silence as the newscast went on and they learned that planes were being used a missiles to hit buildings. It was then when Lola realized something.

-NO!! NO!!

Zoey got up to control her.

-Lola calm down what's wrong... -Zoey said holding her

Lola's tearful eyes met hers, what she said after hit Zoey like a sledgehammer.

-Quinn... Quinn... is on a plane... on her way back here...

Then Lola just fell to her knees and began to sob quietly, Zoey just stood there, her hands trembling as the words of Lola continued to echo insider of her head:

"Quinn... Quinn... is on a plane... on her way back here..."

September 11, 2001, 9:20am

Quinn woke up startled as the cabin was filled with screams, as she fixed her glasses she noticed that there was a man holding something and shouting just a couple of seats in front of her

-I HAVE A BOMB!! -he yelled once more

-oh my god...

Another man wearing a red ribbon in his forehead and what looked to be a knife pulled her from her seat and pushed her to the back of the plane.

-Stop it!! I'm going!! - Quinn protested

But the only reply she got was in Arabic and more pushing until she was with other passengers in the rear end of the plane. Quinn couldn't believe it, the plane where she was flying had been hijacked, she wished it was a nightmare, trembling she got her cell out of her pocket and dialed a number.

September 11, 2001, 9:27am, PCA Academy

The student body (except the little kids) were summoned there by Principal Rivers, the teenagers heard silently as he told them what was going on at the moment, students who had family either living or working in New York City, specially the WTC were taken to a classroom where counselors were trying to find out about their families. Zoey was holding Lola while Logan, Michael and Chase just listened in total disbelief. Zoey reached to her pocked as she felt her phone vibrating, upon seeing the number she signaled her friends to follow her out of the gym.

-It's Quinn -she announced.

-Answer then!! -Chase yelled

Zoey answered and activated the speakerphone so everyone could hear.

-Quinn, how

-Zoey... the plane... has been hijacked...

-oh my God... are... are you OK? -Zoey asked trembling

-sniff yeah... so far... but... some people here say that... other planes... were crashed... into buildings...

-That's the truth Quinn... the WTC has been hit...

-Logan!! -Lola yelled

-Zoey... do... do me favor...

-Quinn wait... I mean... you'll be OK right? Just calm down an

-No... they... they're... talking about taking the plane back...

-Who's they? -asked Michael

-The people... they are... I'll hang up... one of them is coming... call you back

Everyone glared at the phone as the message "call ended" appeared on the screen.

Logan was holding Lola who was literally hysterical.

September 11, 2001, 9:37am

A group of people is talking in the back of the plane, they are finishing a plan to take the plane back from the terrorists, Quinn approached.

-I want to help. -she said

A men placed his hands on her shoulders.

-Look... this will be very dangerous, this men are not playing, you can help by staying on your seat

Quinn glared at him and shoved his hands off her shoulders

-Don't treat me like this just because I'm 17, I have a degree in aplicated science, if you hold the guy with the bomb I'll disarm it, I know I can do it, I'll die too if this fails so let me help.

Another man walked to her.

-You really can do that? -he asked

Quinn nodded.

-You're in. -he said.

September 11, 2001, 9:50am, PCA Academy

Zoey's phone rang startling the group who was desperately waiting for the call.

-Quinn are you OK? -Zoey asked

-Zoey... is everyone with you? Michael, Chase, Lola... and Logan?

-Yeah...

-You're the best friends I could have ever asked for, thank you for everything... I will always remember you guys... even you Logan -Quinn said literally crying.

-Wait a minute, why are you saying this? -Logan asked

-sniff we.. they... are going to... take... try to take the plane back in a bit... I'll... I'll help them... Zoey... do me a favor... tell... Mark... that I love him very much... and... tell my parents... that... they were the best... and... I love them...

-QUINN WAIT!! DON'T DO IT!! -Lola yelled trying to grab the phone, Michael having a hard time holding her back.

-I have to go... -Quinn said as a voice yelling "Let's roll!!" was heard in the back

-QUINN!! QUINN!! -Zoey yelled as the call cut off

Lola hugged Michael as she began to cry, Zoey just glared at the phone while tears began to run down her face, Chase just hugged her as she fell to her knees and she began to sob, Logan just sat against the wall with his face between his legs and for the first time, forgetting about his reputation or what others could think, cried.

September 11, 2001, 9:55am

As the passengers subdued the first terrorist Quinn made her way to him, to her amazement what he was holding was nothing but a pack of batteries covered with Play-doh.

-It's a fake!! -she yelled

As she announced that the group moved forward to the next one, who had already alerted his companions in the cockpit about the rebellion, the one piloting the plane made a violent turn to get them to stop, when the plane made the sudden movement Quinn flew and her head hit the side of a seat, her glasses flew away from her, one of the stewardesses who stayed behind pulled her unconscious body up and hugged her on an empty seat as the screams and fight noises near the cockpit could be heard.

September 11, 2001, 10:03am

United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in a cornfield in Shanksville, Pensilvania, no one survived.

This story is dedicated to the heroic men and women who sacrificed their lives that dark morning, because just like Dan Rather said "You will remember this day for as long as you live".
I have written this story with the biggest of respect for all the families who lost a loved one that morning. It took me seven years to be able to write something about that day because even though I was far from there and nobody I knew was affected... I felt as if it had for a very long time. This story is just a tribute to everyone who lost their life and to all the heroes of September 11, 2001.