Earlier that Wednesday, September 1, 2004, the children and parents had been outside, preparing to celebrate the first day of school in Beslan, a small town in Alania, Russia.
Trešdiena, 2004. gada 1. septembris, nelielā Ziemeļosetijas — Alānijas pilsētā Beslanā bija sākusies pavisam citādi.