“Are you hungry. Andy? Breakfast?” Brent was off the phone now. Brent stood behind the couch that faced the TV.
Oh my Gosh. Good God! yelled the TV.
Tyler looked at the TV. The camera zoomed in on a speck falling from one of the smoking building.
Oh, Dear God. People. People are, the woman speaking on the TV stuttered then said, People are jumping from the building. People are flinging themselves from the broken wreckage. This is–this is unprecedented. This is—
Tyler heard a cough. He turned and looked up into Brent’s face. The man wasn’t crying. No, this time the look on his face was much worse. it was stretched and thin and pale. He looked like Tyler had felt that time he’d gotten real sick and thrown up all over the desk at school. Dad was shaking his head.
“Let’s mute it,” said Dad. “I can’t listen to this.”
“What about the news? What about Alison. What–what—”
“We won’t know what’s happened, we can’t know,” said Dad. “We, we should play a game, maybe.”
“A game?” asked Brent, like he’d never known the word, like he’d never played a game in his life.
Now it look as though another explosion has hit the second building, said the TV.
They all looked at it.
It looks as though something has fallen off the second building. We have Dan Rutherford there, on the ground. Dan, can you tell us what you’re seeing?
On the TV smoke was billowing up. shot into the air slightly, but mostly it spread out, swallowing up other buildings in its path.
Yes, Dianne. I’m four blocks away from the World Trade Towers, and Tower Two has just collapsed, said a man’s voice.
The woman’s voice. It collapsed? The whole building?
Yes. It fell in on itself. It looked much like a demolishing of an old building. It looked like a demolition.
Yes, thank you, Dan, said the woman. It looks as though Tower Two has collapsed. These are just incredible images, incredible.
Dad crossed in front of Tyler and sat down on the couch. Brent did the same. Tyler looked at them. Brent with his wide shoulders and cropped hair, dad in his long coat with short, scratchy hair on his cheeks and chin. Both men looked drawn and pale and at a loss for what to do.
“Look at us,” said Dad.
“I know,” Brent responded.
“Tyler, come here,” said Dad. Tyler went and Dad wrapped his arms around him and help him close. “Everything will be alright,” he said into Tyler’s ear.
“We’ve come a long way,” said Brent.
“Sorry it takes something like this,” said Dad.
“Me too,” said Brent.
Tyler wasn’t sure what they were talking about. The news report continued to roll. No new information. No new footage. All anybody knew was that The United States of America were under attack.
“I don’t blame her, you know,” said Dad.
“No.”
“I don’t,” he said.
“Ok. Maybe you’ll get to tell her.”
“I’m telling you,” said Dad.
“You’ll get to tell her,” said Brent.
“I don’t—”
“You’ll get to tell her,” Brent repeated. There was a finality to his voice.
Dad nodded. Tyler looked at him. His father’s eyes were far and away. In a time and place Tyler didn’t know or remember.