We watched in horror that morning perhaps comforted by the fact that we were deep in the mountain. Unseen. Unheard. Untouched. Others of our ranks were not so fortunate. They had ended up in the center of it all, a place they never imagined they would be. With rank came privilege, the privilege to be in the center of the military universe, The Pentagon.

Now we sit silently listening to the calling of names. Some are familiar; others, not. But it doesn’t matter. We bow our heads with tear-streaked faces in memory of the fallen.

It could have been me.

~fin~