Beslan Gathers to Set Souls Free
BESLAN, Russia, Oct. 13, 2004 -- -- In the Russian Orthodox religion, people believe that when a person dies, the soul lingers near the body for 40 days before it is finally released.
Today marks the 40th day after the massacre, the people of Beslan gathered to memorialize the more than 320 children and adults who died, and to set their souls free.
Aneta Gadieva lost her 9-year-old daughter, Alana.
"I don't really feel strong enough to go on," Gadieva said in Russian. "There is one thing that keeps me going. That's the responsibility for my baby."
Her daughter died in the school gymnasium after the bombs placed there by the terrorists exploded. The remains of the gym and what is left of the middle school have become a shrine.
Families walk through the rubble and leave flowers, candles and photos. They have also left hundreds of bottles of water; the hostages were denied anything to drink for most of the three-day siege.
Survivors also return. Natasha Dzhatieva and her 9-year-old son, Azlan, came to face their fears and relive their escape.
"People I was sitting with them. They were alive. Now they are lying here dead," Dzhatieva said in Russian. "I was ashamed to step on the bodies, but I was told to run, run!"
She returned to the library floor where the attackers reportedly hid weapons weeks earlier during summer renovations.
Many in Beslan cry for punishment of the terrorists and are angry with the Russian government, as well. There are fears people may seek revenge in the neighboring region, Ingushetia, since several of the terrorists were Ingush.
The people of Beslan are so angry and so helpless at not seeing anyone brought to justice for the massacre -- other than most of the hostage takers who died in the attack -- there are concerns that people will start taking matters into their own hands.
The official mourning for this small town will end tonight. It is clear, however, that the grief and anger will not.ABC News' Elizabeth Vargas filed this report for World News Tonight.
