Richmond, Virginia: 11:07am EDT

“This is Calvin Jones, traffic reporter for WJLA-TV in Washington, DC. We are broadcasting live from a temporary hookup here in Richmond at ABC affiliate WRIC-TV to give you an idea of what happened just one half hour ago. All I can tell you is that we are lucky to be alive. Our pilot's injuries are severe, but he pulled us through. It was the most horrific thing I've ever experienced.” Calvin's face still had shock embe dded on it. His left arm was bandaged and in a sling. He was more animated than usual. This was big time. He was on national TV.

“We were on the West Beltway, five miles south of Bethesda , investigating a four-car pileup that was backing traffic up all the way to McLean--when it happened. There appeared a brilliant white flash to my left. Al, our pilot, screamed in pain and I felt the heat too. It was as if a torch had cut into my right arm, then disappeared. We veered to the right as Al struggled to regain control of our chopper. Somehow, he managed, and aimed us southwest toward Manassas. His instincts had took over and we were cruising at about 120 knots southwest for about three minutes when it hit. I felt the tail of our helicopter being lifted as if by some mighty hand. There was a jolt so strong that it threw me back into the seat and headrest, then pushed me forward into my harness with such force that it cut into my shoulders. We were tumbling! Jerky footage the cameraman had taken in the background at the time bore witness to what he was saying.

Somehow--I don't know how--Al pulled her out. He was still screaming in pain as he brought her to level flight through the dust kicked up by the shock wave we had just experienced. We flew on through unimaginable destruction. So many buildings flattened. So many people running in panic. I've never seen anything like it! …They’re all dead!” He started losing it. Thoughts of all his friends in the city crowded in. Overcome by what he was thinking, Jones put down the microphone for a moment, shaking uncontrollably--and cried. George Sharp, the local Richmond anchor for WRIC, took the mike from him and began to fill in a description of the remarkable footage being shown.

“There you have it. The eyewitness account of their survival from our colleagues at affiliate WJLA-TV. It is just one of many stories coming out of the blast area. We will bring them to you as they unfold. Back to ABC in New York.”

... The Survivors is Chapter 2 of my latest novel, War's End.