A NEW LIFE

It was a crisp, clear day in September, as Julie was starting her new job. She was eager to get started, and needed this big change. Julie came to know only a few people so far, they were mostly the ones she worked with and a couple near her apartment. This was her first month in the big apple, New York City.

Oh, how she hoped things would be far different from where she had been living. To start in a new city was always hard, but Julie needed a change of pace. When most people yearn to escape to the country, she needed noise, excitement, and lots of strangers to get lost around.

It was bright sunny morning, Julie was at her new job at a downtown office building. But as Julie walked to her station, an eerie chill came over her. Julie new something was going to happen today, she sensed it in her bones. This cold air she felt was on her even though the windows were shut, and it wasn't hot enough for anyone to be using a fan. Julie decided to shake off the eerie feeling and get to work, for now.

As she sat down to turn on her monitor, she shivered again, even though she was no where near the air vents. Julie typed in her name and password to access her operating system. After the program came up, Julie began entering the information that was part of her job.

Things were going well, as she heard the familiar clicking of everyone's keyboard, and the occasional ringing of the phone. As Julie heard that, she smiled; happy that she didn't have a phone in her station. Julie always found phones so annoying, and they disturbed her peaceful thoughts. It was starting out to be a nice
quiet morning, and the time went by while everyone worked.

Dan, the person in the next station stood up, breaking the silence, and yelled, 'break-time!'� He always did this too.
As she finished typing, Julie could tell Dan was someone who was going to be a person she didn't care for . She disliked his type, he was already beginning to be an annoying person. He was always asking very personal questions,and he tried to worm his way into her life. She shook her head, thinking 'there is one in every city!'�

Julie got up from her desk, and started toward the break room. When she got near she thought, ' might as well use the restroom while I am up'. So Julie walked past the break room door, she could see Dan standing and waving his arms around. 'Must be telling one of his stupid jokes', Julie thought to herself.

Walking on, Julie entered the bathroom, quietly laughing, she went about her business.
Then as Julie stood in front of the mirror, looking at herself, thinking; ' I am a pretty woman, why can't I find a nice guy? Someone to at least take me to dinner.'� Then as Julie was drying her hands, she noticed by her watch that her break was almost over. So she walked out and headed for the break room.

As she got closer she could hear Suzie laughing. She was a nice southern girl, and Julie liked her. Suzie was someone everyone got along with, and she was the first person who took time to help her get adjusted in her new job.

Upon entering the room they all turned their heads in her direction, and smiled. John, the guy that sat next to her everyday, said ' coffee, tea or me'� with a big grin. The room burst out in loud laughter, I smiled and said ' tea, please.'� George nudged John and said, ' smooth move, sherlock.'� John just got that dejected look as he always did, but he never stopped trying.

As Julie sat there drinking the tea and half listening to her co-workers, that chill came over her again. Looking around for the air vents....... she saw they were off. For a long time Julie sat there just staring out into space, wondering why she was feeling this? And what if anything was going to happen. A little while later Gracie jumped up, startling everyone saying, ' Ok break time's over, get back to work. Chop, chop times a wasting!, '� she also had a distinctly southern accent.

We all got up to head for our stations and back to work. Of course, as usual John said,'� later chicka,'�as he walked past me. I smiled, saying ' yeah, sure John!,'� knowing it was just his way. Julie knew he was a happily married man, and would never dream of cheating on his wife. He was just being friendly, and wanted her to feel at home in this new job.

The rest of the morning went on as usual, and before long it was lunchtime. Julie wasn't sure what she wanted to eat today, or where to head. As everyone left
saying, 'see you after lunch', they headed out the door.

Suzie was the only one that stayed, she brought her lunch every day, and was in the break room with the television on. I said to Suzie as I walked past, ' one of these days I will bring my lunch and eat with you,alright.'� But she was so engrossed in her daily soap opera, she didn't hear me.

Walking out the front door, Julie looked up and down the street.
Cars whizzed by. And people were walking here and there, mostly shopping.

She started walking down the street, letting different types of food pass through her thoughts. She didn't want Chinese, she had that a few days ago.

'Maybe some Spanish, or Italian food would be good today'�, Julie said out loud, as people stared at her.


She remembered that her neighbor, Ruby told her about a great new Italian restaurant. And it was real close to her work, about two blocks up the street. Walking on, Julie looked for the place, and as she got closer she could see the sign. It didn't look to bad from the outside, and it had a real interesting name, 'Arrivederci.'�

A typical Italian name, and she could smell the fragrant food as she got closer. It was heavenly. She could smell fresh bread baking and a strong scent of garlic. It made Julie's mouth begin to water and her stomach growl. She found she was hungry.

Slowly Julie looked around as she walked in, it somehow seemed vaguely familiar to her.
As she walked to the counter, the woman asked her, ' Can I help you miss?'�

Julie began looking at the menu above the womans head. Everything sounded so good, and being Italian food it was her favorite. But she needed something that was easy and fast to eat, since she had to get back to work.

This would be a nice place to have dinner with someone, Julie thought to herself as she kept moving her eyes back and forth across the menu. The woman, whose name was Maria asked her again what she would like to eat.
Julie replied, ' I'll have some penne noodles with red sauce, please.'�
Maria then said, 'And to drink miss?'�
Julie answered ' oh just some tea, I have to go back to work..'�
Then the woman, Maria told Julie it would be brought out to her, feel free to sit anywhere. Maria handed Julie a tall glass of ice tea with a lemon slice hanging off the edge.

Turning, Julie saw a nice window seat was open, and headed for it. She liked watching the people of New York walk by. She sat and thought ' what a bustling city, unlike where I lived before.'� Things sure move faster here, which she didn't mind. Julie longed to get away from the past and all the tragedies it held.

As she sat waiting for her food, and sipped her tea, that eerie feeling came over her again. It felt like a cool breeze. She shook as the coldness went up her spine.
She started looking around and saw that the door was shut and there were no fans running. She sat there squeezing the lemon slice that came with her tea, and started thinking.

When was the last time she had this strange feeling, and what happened? She sat there racking her brain trying to remember.

Maria brought her the plate of food, and asked if there was anything else, some bread maybe? Julie said, 'no thank you.'�
She began taking slow bites, still unable to shake off that sickening feeling that something terrible was about to happen. It was hard for Julie to enjoy this delicious food now.

She drank all the tea, so Maria quickly came over with more and refilled her glass. Julie watched, and said, ' Thank You, Maria.'� Then went back to eating her lunch, again trying to enjoy her food.

As Julie took her last bite, it dawned on her. The last time she got that eerie feeling that sent chills through her, even though it was not cold.

It was when she lived in Oklahoma.

She had just moved to Oklahoma City to get away from a bad relationship.

Moving there Julie got a job with a mortgage company and worked down from the Federal Building. That was the first time she got that eerie feeling. That was when it was hit with a bomb, blowing it up.

Just then she looked up, off in the distance she saw the twin towers. Julie got a panicked look on her face, as she sat there and saw a plane hit the building. The person sitting next to her gasped, making everyone turn and look her direction. Maria walked over asking what was wrong, and Julie just pointed out the window.

That is when Maria and everyone sitting there saw another plane strike the other building farther down. They sat there staring in shock as both buildings began to slowly collapse. And someone standing behind Julie said, ' Oh my God.'�

Even though they were miles away, they could see the dust cloud coming. Julie and the others could hear sirens heading down the street toward the twin towers. Most of the patrons were at the window, watching the horrific scene unfolding before their eyes.

Just then the sign of the restaurant fell, and Julie remembered what Arrivederci meant in Italian- 'goodbye'�!

They all sat staring and were awestruck by this tragic scene.

Just then the mushroom cloud from the twin towers hit the window, breaking the glass. Some were running toward the back of the restaurant, but a large shard of glass cut into Julie's body instantly killing her. The last thing she remembered was that strange eerie feeling again......

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