Slowly the plane took off into the clear sky. The flight attendants went over the safety features and where the exits were located. Tamara, having been on planes since her childhood, sat flipping through a magazine that had been left on her seat. "Flight attendants please take your seats," came the voice of the captain. Tam had gotten an isle seat, which she didn't mind.
The gentleman to her left leaned over and began talking to her. "Hello. My name is Richard Everson but you can call me Rich," the man said, extending his tanned hand. "Tamara Reiker. But call me Tam," Tamara said shaking his hand. Rich had shoulder length, wavy dirty blond hair and hazel eyes with subtle flecks of silver. He was very tan and had a tattoo of a dove on his right shoulder. When he smiled he showed two straight white rows of perfect teeth. 'He's certainly got looks on his side,' Tam thought to herself. "So why are you going to New Jersey?" Rich asked, breaking her thoughts. "I'm visiting my cousin," she said. "And you?" "Business. I have a doctor's conference," he said. He didn't look too happy about it. "It's the fifth annual Northeastern Physician Collaboration Convention," he explained. Tam remembered going to that in its first year. "So what do you do for a profession?" Rich asked. "I'm a doctor as well," she said a little to loudly. People around them turned and looked at her. She blushed and slunk down in her seat slightly. "Wow. How about that," Rich said in honest interest. "How long have you been in practice?" he asked. "Seven years. I graduated med school in '94. I was 22," Tam said, smiling. "I've only been in practice for three," he said. "Oh and don't tell anyone but, I'm 31," he whispered. Tam laughed. She wasn't one to divulge her age very easily. Even though she was still in her twenties, her thirtieth birthday was only three months away. Tam and Rich talked for a while longer until the drink cart came by and they both bought coffee. Tam glanced at her watch. It read 8:40. "We've been talking all this time," she said quietly. "Wow. It has been awhile," Rich responded, glancing at his own watch.
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Suddenly and without warning, the plane made a sharp movement downward. Rich looked out the window and saw buildings coming precariously close to the plane. Then it happened. The plane slammed quickly and violently into a tall building. The plane did not stop but continued straight until the engines gave out. People screamed as glass was shattered and the sparks from skidding through the building ignited raging fires throughout the plane. Smoke rose quickly, choking whoever breathed it.
Outside, the workers that had been in the building lay dead, drenched in ash, blood and debris. Slowly, the floors above where the plane had hit began collapsing and the top of the plane caved in. Inside the plane, fire swept through it like a molten flood of destruction sent by an angry God. Screams could still be heard but the most noticeable sound was that of moaning. The occasional oxygen mask hung down but was of no use. They were too choked with fire and smoke to provide any support. Bodies lay everywhere, most covered in burning, scorched flesh and puddles of sticky blood. Crackling could be heard faintly as the fires died down.
Tamara slowly opened her eyes. The scene around her was a terrifying nightmare. She lifted her hands to her face and saw big gashes from where debris had hit her. She rubbed the dust and ash from her eyes as best she could without smearing blood from her wounds in them. She looked over to her left and saw Rich. His right hand was covered in burned flesh and his hair covered in oozing, mud colored blood. His eyes were half open and the silver in them stood out. He had a deep cut over his right ear. She could see him breathing, ever so slightly. "Rich?" Tam coughed. "Tam�" he gasped. Blood began dripping from his mouth. "Go," he whispered, his voice fainter than when he had uttered her name. Tam could feel tears gliding cruelly down her face. Tam leaned in and kissed him gently on the lips. As she pulled away, she could feel his body go limp. She stood on shaky legs and began moving towards the front of the plane. She stumbled over wreckage and dead passengers. As she reached the place where the door should have been, the sight of more bodies imprinted itself in her brain. She climbed out and looked for any way to get away from the plane. She found a staircase and used all of her energy to push the metal door open. She staggered down a few flights of stairs until she reached another door. She didn't make it any further. Tamara lost consciousness at 9:02 am.