Counting By Twenty (W-A 2017)

September 9, 2001: Sunday

He still hadn't contacted us.

I spent another night in Francis's room. - Arthur Kirkland

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I had sent a text to Al [on September 7] after I saw his e-mail, and he still hadn't responded. My read receipts still read 'Delivered' instead of the time that Al had read it, meaning that Al hadn't even bothered to read them. I had this feeling in the pit of my stomach (and those are never good).

On a slightly unrelated note, I've never seen [Kirkland] act like this before. Maybe Al's finally getting to him. - Matthew Williams

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The beauty of silence can be adored. However, it becomes terrifying if it lingers too long in one place. - Honda Kiku

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Arthur stayed in my room another night. Secretly, I hoped he would do this, even when Alfred responded to him. - Francis Bonnefoy

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I sent another e-mail and a text message. I was praying to every God on the planet Earth that Alfred would respond to any single one of us. - Yào Wáng

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I sent at least six e-mails. I was desperate for him to get in any kind of contact with me. Every hour, I would send everyone a text saying that I had no development, and I would ask if they had any luck. They would explain what they did to try and contact him, and then we would go back to worrying our hearts out.

It was an endless cycle. - Ivan Braginski

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It was like taking the bull by the horns; this issue. I was the bullfighter, and this issue was the bull.

I'm that pitiful bullfighter who does not have the strength to defeat [the bull]. - Antonio Fernandez

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I was scared. [Ludwig Beilschmidt(?)] cuddled me as I cried for him. - Feliciano Vargas, the Italian Republic (Northern Italy)

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One down, four to go. That's what it felt like to me. - Romano Vargas, the Italian Republic (Southern Italy)