A/N – mk, so it's 11:30, and I'm typing this up NOW because earlier I was doing god knows what online, and I forgot to type this up. A 9/11 fanfic, of course, given the date. This one goes out to my US History teacher, Ms. Macaulay for giving me the inspiration to write this out. I'm even using her name, and the Aim and Do Now we had for class today! Not to mention most of the things we talked about in class, including the first quote. Thanks goes to that guy that sits in the front desk in my row. So anyways, it's still in the early stages of editing, but I wanted to get it up before the end of today, so I'm sort of speeding things along, letting you guys do the editing and proofreading, so don't hesitate to tell me where I messed up and what I need to fix.

Disclaimer – I don't have a clever quip for this right now, lawl.

U.S. History – Ms. Macaulay

September 11, 2008

Danny Fenton

Aim – Why do we commemorate 9/11?

Task – Write an essay on what lessons you think can be learned from the 9/11 plane hijacking.

"Tomorrow is not a promise for anybody."

And it's true; I know this more than a lot of people my age. We all face this fact every day, no matter how oblivious we are to it. We never know what can happen, especially in Amity Park. We can never know how long or short our candle of life is. We can never know when the flame is going to go out, or just be blown away by all the tragedies that occur each and every day. Until then we just need to keep on living life to the fullest, and we need to leave all thoughts about death behind.

I was nine years old, sitting in my classroom when the first plane hit. I had no idea what happened at the time, I was just sulking because of all the "lucky" students that got to go home early. Maybe I should've realized that it wasn't a good thing when all the teachers were frowning, forgetting their lesson plans and thinking of the "best ways to say it". By the end of the day, there were a total of six people in the classroom.

The second I got home, my parents told me what was happening. The news was on, and for the first time in my life, I actually listened to what it said, instead of shirking it off to the side like I usually did when I came home from school.

When I found out, the first thought that came to my mind was, "Who did it and when are we gunna get them back?" I didn't understand the severity of this crime back then. When you're nine, you see the United States as a huge, powerful country, winning all wars and passing through all obstacles that came their way. To me, there was no weakness to a country this great. Now that I'm older, I understand just how bad 9/11 actually was.

A little over 100 more Americans died that day than they did on Pearl Harbor. Hospitals in New Jersey and Connecticut were standing prepared to take in waves of victims. The only problem was there were no victims to take in. Everyone was dead. The people running away from the huge pillar of smoke were running over the body parts of the ones who had jumped, the ones who had been thrown out.

I didn't know anyone that was in the crash, nor in the building, so thank my very few lucky stars. But stop and think for a moment: Every single one of those people were neighbors, friends or loved ones. Any single one of them could've been the guy who served you your food at a restaurant, or the guy standing behind you on the line while you were buying milk.

And that brought another thought to my mind. These people had lives and people they were living for, and it was stopped abruptly for all the wrong reasons. And now millions all over the country were mourning the deaths of their lost ones.

What would I do if I lost my parents, my sister…Tucker and Sam…. It was way too painful to even give it a second thought, and I'd been through it already, with the results being disastrous. I admire those who are able to live on as normally as possible under these conditions.

For some people it was the end of their world. September 11th, 2001 – a horrible memory for those of us who were old enough to remember in detail the events of that fateful day. Today, a whole seven years ago, thousands were killed in attempt to save many others, and thousands were left without a mother, a father, a brother or sister. A lover, an enemy, a son or a daughter. The events of this day aren't something that one can forget so easily. But yet the world still goes round, and we all must keep on living.

uugghh I hate the ending. But I wanted to get it up before midnight and it is now 11:55!! I'm cutting it really short, but who cares, it's still 9/11. Alrighty so I'm gunna go now. :D review por favor.

In Memory of Michael Linch.