Twin Towers
A/N: 9/11. Scary stuff. This is stupidly short, and for that I apologize. (is ashamed) Enjoy.
"Can you believe it was only ten years ago?" Emma asked quietly. She and the others had finished their training for the day, and she and Clay had been exempt from chores because of the date. Both teenagers had been very quiet, rousing the confusion of the others. Raimundo and Kimiko had simply told Omi that something bad had happened in the United States that day, and they'd left the two Americans to themselves.
Clay shook his head. "Seems like it didn't even happen in our lifetime. Ah can barely remember th' day as it is."
"Yeah. We got sent home from school early," Emma said, leaning back. She and Clay were sitting on the porch of the Temple, talking about the event. The sky was blue and bright, the occasional wispy cloud making it's way across the atmosphere's canvas. It seemed almost too nice to be such a sad day, but they stayed outside anyway.
"That's one of th' only times Ah kin remember mah mama cryin'," he added. "Daddy was mournin' fer weeks afterwards. Cain't say Ah rightly blame 'im, though."
"No kiddin'," Emma agreed. Omi peered through the door onto the porch, joining them on the steps. "Hello, friends," he said cheerfully. "What makes you so green?"
"That'd be blue," Clay corrected, smiling. "And it's... a long story."
"We have the rest of the day," Omi said, undeterred. "I do not like to see my friends so up in the garbage. What is wrong?"
"Well, see, ten years ago today, something happened in America," Emma began. "Something that shook our nation."
"It's called 9/11, 'cause of when it happened. There were these buildings in a place called th' World Trade Center, called th' Twin Towers. Bad people called terrorists crashed a plane into 'em," Clay said. "Thousands of people died."
"That day, America came together. We were all so shocked and scared, and suddenly, all we had was each other. Or, that's what people say. I can't really remember it. I was only five." Emma was silent for a moment before continuing. "There are bad people that do bad things in this world, Omi. This is just one example."
"Why did they do that?" Omi asked quietly. Emma and Clay exchanged a glance before the Texan answered. "Ah... don't rightly know. They thought they were doin' somethin' good, Ah s'pose."
"That's terrible," Omi muttered.
"Yeah. That's why we take this day to remember everybody who died then," Emma explained. "It's important to honor the lost."
Omi nodded slowly. "I think I understand now. Would you like me to go so you can better make peace with them?"
Clay shook his head and smiled. "Little buddy, you kin stay as long as ya like. Ah'm pretty sure nobody'll mind." Omi smiled back and sat between them, and for a long time afterwards, they stayed that way. Not quite mourning, but giving the dead their respect. Letting the heroes have what they deserved.
And, for a long time afterwards, all was good.
A/N: The ending is kind of meh, but it's not too bad. So, anyway, this is a huge thank-you to everyone who serves in our armed forces, fire department, police units, hospitals and the like. It's you that keep our nation what it is. God bless.