9/11: A Short Story

"It's on its way." The first punch I don't remember, the second I remember colliding with my ribs. I groan as I feel the wave of pain rush across my face and stomach.

He looked up at me as I tried to reassure him that he was going to be okay. “Help is on the way.” I could feel the fear in his eyes.

The large cut on the right side of my forehead had begun to bleed again; my own blood threatening to choke me. “Calm down its ok. You're going through a rough phase that's all. Try to get some rest,” was all the comfort dad could manage before choking up into tears. He turned away as streaks of auburn curls lightly brushed against me, the owner tending to my wound. Rest, he says; not so easy when every time your eyes droop, the dreams begin. They have been getting worse, the closer I become in finding a way to bring her

“Obviously, can you HELP me up!” She then squatted down and helped me up. I rested against the bed as she spoke.

“What happened?” the doctor asked. In response, she motioned her hand back and forth. Nodding, the doctor gently examined the wound, careful to not induce additional pain.

She raised his knuckles to her lips “The doctor says you’re fine, so I need you to wake up. Thomas Cole! d-do as I say for once and wake up...I need you. Please. Wake up baby... I can’t run this place without you, you’re the good half. You’re my better half and I love you s-so much. I don’t tell you it nearly enough. But, if you wake up right now, then I promise you I will say it every day for as long as I live. Please-just-wake-up. I need you handsome, I need you to help me put this place back together. I won’t do it without

"It's OK, really it is. I have sustained worse injuries before." I say smiling at her. She looks at me and a smile slowly appears on her face.

“I found out she had a minor fracture in her arm,” he said. “It looked way worse to me, it looked crushed.”

she shook her head but sobbed out softy, "no bleeding, just pain from his yelling. my nose and my lips are the only things bleeding, but i can feel something on my elbows from him pinning me down."

She places her hand on his shoulder as her sharp thumbnail sticks into his knife wound.

"I.. I fell" Alexis cried. The pain clear in her watery eyes, she showed him her injured elbow. Nothing serious, maybe a band aid and an extra scoop of ice cream will do the trick.

“AHH!!” she shrieked, grabbing onto my arm in fear. Quickly snapped out of my thoughts, I chuckled and rubbed her back comfortingly until she was once again captivated. I sighed quietly to myself, the longing escaping from my chest and into the open. I wished there could be more between us, that I didn’t have to fear how much I loved Evelyn. My sigh seemed to reach Evelyn’s ears, for she turned to me quizzically, her head turned as if to say, what’s wrong? She leaned over for the remote and paused it while I stared down into my

Jess placed a gentle finger to his temple where a bump had sprung up like a miniature hill. ‘You hit your head on the floor. So, we dragged you under the table.’

“What was it?” she finally asked after she watched him bend and flex every muscle as he fought back the pain.

I do not answer and continue to pace the room, thinking of how I can get out of this.