9/11. It's a date no one will ever forget. I wanted to make sure my recommendation was about this important date in American history. I had to look for a while, because it is a touchy subject many do not dare to touch.
TwiXlite did though, and she did an amazing job on her one-shot 'Second Chances'.
It starts out as a seemingly normal day, except for the early morning fight. Bella tries to tell Edward something, but he blows her off. Even though he has plenty of time, he just wants to go on to work.A big fight ensues about his values. Bella feels as if he takes his job into higher consideration than his own family. He tries to refute it, but in the end he just dejectedly leaves for the office.
Bella brings the kids to school like a good mother, before deciding to have lunch with Edward. She needs to discuss what's going on so they can put it behind them. That's exactly what she tells Alice when she calls to set up a lunch date. The pixie tries to guilt Bella into meeting Edward the next day, but all conversation instantly stops with Bella's screams.
From her apartment, she can see the Towers where Edward works and she has seen it happen. Running towards them, she ignores everything else. Her only thoughts and prayers are with Edward.
A phone call offers her relief. He had been lower in the building, because of some mix-up and might get out of there alive. At least that's what she thinks, until the Southern Tower is hit and the sounds of an explosion and screams is all she hears, before the call is disconnected.
I made my way out onto the balcony, knowing that Edward would be at work now. I sighed gently, looking out at the tallest buildings in my view.
The World Trade Centre.
Honestly, they were an incredible thing to see. It was amazing to think how much effort and work had been put into their construction and even after the attack on the North Tower in 1993. I was sure that no one would find them safe after that, but thousands of people still continued to travel in and out of them each and every single day.
And Edward was one of them.
I loved the Towers and all, but I wished they'd relinquish my husband sometimes. I missed him.
I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket and pulled it out to see Alice calling. "Hello?" I answered, sipping my coffee.
"Heya, Bellsie." She chirped, too chipper for . . . I glanced at my watch again . . . eight forty-five in the morning. I swear, people should not be allowed to be that happy at this time in the morning. "I was wondering if you wanted to meet for lunch."
"Oh, Bells, I haven't seen you in forever. Can't you meet with him for lunch tomorrow? I want to see my favourite sis-"
"Alice, hang on a second."
There was a low rushing sound, like the sound of an airplane when it first leaves the airport. I leaned over the side, not seeing anything. I blinked as I noticed a shadow pass over me and I looked in the direction it had travelled in.
It was as though everything had slowed down, you know, like they do in the movies, or Baywatch?
The only thing I saw was a plane heading across New York City, flying extremely low. Too low. The next thing I registered was the fireball exploding from the North Tower in front of me, smoke immediately billowing from the gaping wound in the side of the building.
I could hear someone screaming, but didn't register that it was me until the coffee cup in my hand smashed on the balcony floor.
"Bella?" Alice was screaming in my ear and it was only then that I realised I was still on the phone to her. "What was that? What's the matter?"
"Plane . . . Twin . . . World Trade Cen . . . North Tower . . ." I tried to make a sentence, but couldn't due to the fact that there was a good chance my husband was dead.
And I hadn't even told him I loved him this morning
This one-shot was very hard for me to read. Even though, I am not an American and I can not even begin to understand how it must be for them, I was still greatly affected by it. Knowing that this happened to so many people that day, just breaks my heart. The fear, the anguish of not knowing, the sense of loss and the despair they must have gone through, makes me cry just thinking about it. I'm not a fan of disaster movies or stories that are based on true facts. Hell, I'll even avoid them if I can. Because, I always end up crying even before it happens. The knowledge of what will happen, the severity of what it does to the moral of others, the tremendous loss a lot of people suffered and the actual demises of people just like you and me, is something that's hard to swallow.
You might think, I don't understand. But it is a fear that lives everywhere. I, myself, I live in Belgium. It's a tiny country and who would wish to attack it? A lot of people, I'm sure. Our capital, Brussels, is also the capital of Europe. There have been threats before, where we all lived with the fear of not knowing we might live another day. But thankfully, it never resulted into something major.
So do know, that everywhere around the world, people understand. And what happened, although devastating and tragic, has been an eye-opener for many.
That's why I read this and made sure to do a piece on something involving this day. Because we need to commemorate this day, the day that woke the world up from their perfect little dream.
TwiXlite did an excellent job on this one-shot. It was well-written that you could feel everything Bella was feeling. TwiXlite, my hat off to you. You wrote about a subject, others would cower away from. I think you are courageous and strong for pulling this off. I also admire your talent. Do not stop writing. Good luck with your future stories.
Well, I really should stop whining, so sniffles out and see you all on Saturday. Sarah, Aly and I will be joining forces to bring you a special. On what? We're not telling you yet.
Love,
Salacious S
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