Free We All Fall Down by Eric Walters

evacuate.”
    “Evacuate? For what purpose? I’m sure
you
are
aware
it is the
other
building that was struck. Evacuating this building would have no benefit. In fact, it might even be harmful for those in the other tower.”
    “What do you mean?” my father asked. He now sounded annoyed too.
    “Sending everybody out of this building, flooding into the streets and subways might slow down the evacuation from the North Tower—the place where people
really
need to leave.”
    I could see that everybody in the office had stopped working and they were witnessing the exchange between my father and this man.
    “I can understand your position, but I disagree with it. The subways and streets can easily handle both buildings emptying—as they do each weekday at around five o’clock. You and your staff need to leave.”
    “The only one who’s leaving is you. Get out so my staff and I can get back to work,” he barked.
    “I will be leaving,” my father said.
    I turned to him in surprise. I hadn’t expected him to say that or give up so easily.
    “Right after you and your staff all leave,” my father continued. “I am the fire warden for thisfloor and I am
ordering
you to evacuate.”
    The man laughed. “I don’t care what you are. There’s only one person who gives orders in this office and you’re looking at him. And now, I’m ordering
you
to get the hell out of here and leave me and my employees to get back to work.”
    My father had opened his mouth to speak when the lights suddenly started to flash and there was a loud
beep, beep, beep
that came from the overhead speakers.
    “Your attention, please,” came a man’s voice. “Building Two is secure. There is no need, I repeat, no need, to evacuate Building Two.”
    The man in charge of the office made a scoffing sound and shot my father a look of disdain.
    “If you are in the midst of evacuation, you may return to your office using the re-entry doors on the re-entry floors and the elevators to return to your floor. Again, Building Two is secure …”
    He went on to repeat what he’d already said.
    My father looked embarrassed. He wasn’t used to being wrong … or at least to having it pointed out in such a public way. He turned and left the office and I rushed after him.
    “Are we still going to leave?” I asked as I caught up.
    He nodded his head. “We’re going to leave. I just hope that none of my staff responds to that message. I don’t care what anybody else says or thinks we should do. Our office is closed for the day.”
    That was more like him: stubborn and clinging to his view even when it was wrong.
    “Whether the building is secure or not we all need to go. It isn’t right to work while this tragedy is going on just outside our building. We will be evacuating the building.”
    That worked for me. I wanted to get out of there as soon as possible anyway.
    Suddenly the entire building shook, and I staggered to the side, tumbling into the wall. There was the sound of smashing glass and the big front doors of my father’s office shattered, exploding into a million pieces; ceiling tiles tumbled down, falling just in front of where we stood. Wide-eyed, open-mouthed, I stared at my father. His look of shock and the fear on his face sent a shiver through my body.

CHAPTER
EIGHT
    I pushed myself off the wall and tried to walk toward my father. My knees buckled and I put a hand against the wall to steady myself. No … wait … it wasn’t my legs that were shaky … the whole building was swaying back and forth! The lights flickered, faded and then came back on again.
    “Dad … what … what happened? What’s happening?”
    He looked scared. My father never looked scared. He was always calm and cool and in control. I felt even more afraid seeing
him
look afraid.
    I staggered toward him as he moved toward me. He took my hand.
    “What happened?” I asked again.
    He shook his head. “I don’t know. The building is swaying.”
    We stood there