9/11 Short Stories

Red light, bright as the midday sun, flared into existence. It began to flicker and waver. Small tongues of flame spread their reach, jumping from the floor onto the nearby curtains. It began to pick up the pace as it consumed more and more like a starving creature. In seconds, it had spread to all the curtains that spanned across the room-length window. Smoke filled the air, giving the walls a fine layer of ash and soot. In the bed opposite the window, a girl rested her head. Her eyes flashed open as she breathed in the heavy tang.

I walked to it and tried prying it from the ground with my fingers. A twig broke behind me and I jumped and spun around. It was dark now and the only light was from the full moon. I had a bad feeling start to pump through me. I turned and ran trying to evacuate the danger I felt nearby. I ran through brush that looked like claws trying to grab my ankles. And as tree limbs came down snatching at my skin I tripped and fell. I saw a tree nearby that looked welcoming and I tried to use it as cover. Black wings busted through the trees and run started echoing around me in a croaked out a raspy breath.

“Come here, look,” she would say, her voice trembling with every syllable, “we received an encrypted letter from Langley.”

I had been on a boat before, and I didn't usually tend to get sea sick. I felt a little queasy, but I knew I'd be alright. We were getting off of the ferry in less than forty minutes. I sat with Avenelle Jérôme on the edge of a window that was so long it touched the floor. So basically, we were sat on the floor, but that sounds filthy, doesn't it? "Nelly?" I mumbled, he was staring out at the murky waters below like a little kid, probably waiting for the coast of France to appear. Meanwhile, Nicki was on the top deck, using her iPhone to take pictures for her Tumblr.

Drip, drip, drop. The appearance of the rain drops hitting the water of the pool reminds me of stones being throw in the water, and how they created those perfect circles that would expand until they faded away. Though the stones made the water react, it was still the same water; it went back to being flat. Do you suppose that we take these simple visuals, and make them into something more meaningful than what it really is? It really is just simple nature, yet we put more beauty and symbolism into. At least, that was how I see the world now that my mind no longer sees tricks as magic.

Where am I? I open my eyes to slits and see blurry figures in front of me, chattering away. I can't quite make out who these people are because I can barely open my eyes fully without feeling like I'll drift back into sleep. After a minute or two, my eyes and ears begin to adjust, and I found myself lying on the grass.

“MUM! Wait!” I yell. My throat is sore, partly from the yelling, but mostly from the running. The thick, night fog blocked my vision of the path ahead completely, only allowing the occasional glow of the street lamps come in sight. I don't remember why I’m running or where I’m headed, just that something is about to happen. I trust my instincts to guide me through the maze of eerily empty streets.

It was just for one night, thought she as she closed the window. The wind is howling and the rain is conducting a symphony of drums against the glass. She turns around and starts walking across the room, the white carpet is soft underneath her bare feet, as she walks to her chair, fixing up her mess of long, beautiful black hair into a messy bun. She has the hair of a Disney princess and the school thought she's one of the most beautiful girls in the entire class, with eyes of ice and a heart of gold. Underneath the mountain of clothes she has yet to put away she finds a towel and hands it to Roman. He takes it from her, their hands lightly touch and he flashes that million dollar, white as snow smile. His dad must be drinking again. Why else

“The blood can’t be hers. Not all of it anyway.”Danny looked a ways off, seeing how far the rain from the previous night carried the blood. It flowed just out of the alley way, peeking out where cars could just see it. Peeking out just enough so that one might stop, gripped by curiosity, and see it. Was this deliberate? Had the assailant predicted the rain fall? Was this body meant to be found? Or was it the simple justice of the universe, striving to right wrongs?

“Why am I here? What happened to me? Who am I?” Everything was happening so fast, It felt like i couldn't breathe. I began to cry.

Thunder growled in the near distance, rain pelting the tower as thick, drab mist swirled through the forest. The bright sun struggled against the cloudy blanket that spread across the dark sky. Through the dense trees, there could be seen a tower. It stood proudly, it's imposing presence known to it's vast surroundings. Stone upon stone had been covered by ivy and vines covering an expanse of the dank tower. Decorative bands of Caen stone could be beheld peeking out from underneath the moss. A single entrance was seen near the top of the tower, just below the pointed roof. It was large enough that a person, such as a rescuer, might easily fit through it. At the open window, stood a woman, dressed in burgundy with gold lining her sleeves and neckline. Her long, flaxen hair swayed behind her in the strong breeze, splashes of rain touching her blushing cheeks. Beneath elongated lashes sat dark cobalt eyes, wondering and curious. They rested on a man in front of her, clinging onto the window as they conversed. At almost six foot and a half, the man was typically heroic. His many sparkling embellishments showed his royalty as he waited for the damsel to take his offer of marriage.

The darkness of the night is punctured by the headlights of the car. I look to my left and Violet is driving the car. I drove that day, I’ll never forget. I try to reach out for her, but I can never get to her in time. I stare straight ahead and prepare for what’s coming. To think I could prepare to be jerked through the windshield. Our car crashes the one approaching us from the other lane. I get up and run to Violet. I tell her I’m sorry. I tell her it’ll be alright. Sshe tells me to take good care of Azure. The night is only lit by the flashing emergency lights, which seemed to make Violet’s bloodstains pink and my tears appear white. Her blue eyes fade to gray and her soul leaves her body. It’s all my fault.

She was startled from her sedentary state by the rumble of thunder. She sat in shock for a minute, then spurred herself to movement. Angrily she move towards the front of the house where she thought the sound came from. She looked miserably at the door, cursing the weather. As she turned

In the large mountain, with it's thick forests, Anna luckily found an abandoned small cabin, which she called home. It was empty when she discovered it, but provided a very good defense against the brutal winds. Food was a problem at first, until Anna decided to run to a nearby village to get her hands on any

Dawn thinks for a while he is still angry, as the truck s sinking, but eventually she realizes he is not. “Dad’s not angry. He’s frightened.”3 As mentioned earlier Dawn is the narrator, and she is also the protagonist. She is very cautious. For example when the father turns a little too quickly on the road, she grabs the dashboard very quickly “..and I grabbed on, handprints like claws.”4 She also gets very stunned when the truck is sinking into the water. She describes it very graphically, and like everything is in slow motion. “His face is red and is moth is moving like he’s shouting, but I cant hear anything. I’ve gone deaf. His eyes are close to my face and bulging.“5 She can’t move, and she can’t speak for a while, but eventually she snaps out of it and escapes the water. Themes of this story are: family love and sacrifice. This story is about a family who, even though they had issues, loved each other very much. Sam sacrifices himself to try and save his two daughters from drowning, because of the endless love he has for them. The two older daughters now only have their mother, and she must now remain strong for the sake of her family. Therefore she tries to only look on the positive side of everything, and never mention the bad stuff. “Mom said over and over, at least he (the father) was doing something he loved.”6 She gives her everything to stay strong for her