Newyork Minute IV

NYC Dec 03 2000 Sun 11:54 hrs
Anna felt pretty much relieved from the “marriage proposals” that her parents were bugging her during the trip. She felt happy to be back in US. Naren and Anna started from where they had left earlier: Phone calls, messages and mails. Though they conversed a lot, the intention of meeting him personally was still strange to her. It was too early to fall in love with an unknown person for no particular reason. She had no idea if Naren too had the same feeling towards her. Or was it one way traffic?

NYC Sep 11 2001 Tue 08:35 hrs
“Anna, I am feeling excited. I am going to meet you for the first time. This day will be special” Naren was speaking to Anna over the Airphone of the American Airlines Flight 11. “Me too Naren. I have something to tell you. Let it wait until we meet for lunch.” Anna was shy at the moment and Naren did not fail to notice it in her voice. “So what is it? Can I have a clue” Naren asked Anna but she refused. “I was also feeling the same thing inside. I’ve kept it hidden for a long time. I don’t want to waste a moment. I want to tell you now. I think I am in Lov…”. Before Naren could finish it, he saw 2 men standing up from the seats with guns in their hands. “Listen up people. This is a Hijack. Put your hands behind your head”. Everyone was scared and did what exactly those guys asked them to do. Naren, in a low voice told Anna that their plane was been hijacked. Anna showed a sense of fear in her voice and was about to drop her phone. She managed and asked him what it they wanted is!!


NYC Sep 11 2001 Tue 08:45 hrs
“Anna. I am sure that I am going to die. They want to crash the plane” Naren narrated her, what the hijackers had told them all. Anna burst out into tears. She could not believe her ears. She had planned a lot on how to spend the whole day with him. Suddenly things changed so much in 10 minutes. She was crying heavily over the phone. Naren had no clue what to do. His life, like everyone was at stake. Suddenly he heard a voice from the front: the voice of one of the hijackers. “People. Good news! We are going to crash the plane on a Building. Let our Souls rest in peace”. Naren was speechless. She told Anna about their plan. Anna suddenly saw an airplane, which was approaching closer. To her naked eyes, very close which seemed almost to crash on the building-The Northern tower of WTC. Anna felt a sense of urgency spoke to tell Naren. “I love …”
Bang!!!

Boston July 8 Sat 2000 08:05 hrs Present Day
“No. Not me”. Naren stood up with a shock, like something had hit him. He was sweating all over. “Oh! Good heavens. It’s just a dream. I am alive! I am alive!!
Why did I get a weird dream? A plane hitting a building! “Who is this girl Anna? And Rachel, Coimbatore, Brookline Hospital, my car crash, getting hospitalized, Yerba Buena ….Have I gone mad? Oh it’s already late. Need to get back to work” Naren had a series of thoughts flowing so fast. He stood up and walked towards the Bathroom. He finished his bath. He could not concentrate on anything as the thought kept repeating. He felt troubled. With lot of confusion, he stepped out of his house.

About 190 Miles from Boston- New York City. Present Day
NYC July 8 2000 Sat 20:58 hrs
Two Indian girls: One in her mid twenties and the other in her late twenties were having a chat. One was from Chennai and the other from Coimbatore.
“Hey Anna, come check this out”, Rachel called Anna. Anna, not interested to take her eyes off the laptop, asked her “What is it?” Rachel was from Chennai.

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