INDEPENDENCE DAY

JULY 2 1996

July first of 1996 was the last normal day on earth. People got up, eat breakfast, went to work, then went back home at the end of the day. The only thing everyone was looking forward (in America) was the forth of July weekend. Weekend fill with barbeques, hot dogs and of course fireworks. But little did anyone know that last year would be final normal fourth of July were it would be a simply American hoilday to celebrate the birth of country 200 plus more years old. Because on July 2 1996 would change everything.

JULY 2 1996.

I was 20 living in a apartment in New York. My name was Todd. I moved to New York city with my young sister Emily who was 18. I was studying to become an Chef while my sister was studying to become a professional dancer. The both of us decided to move to New York city and live together in apartment which both us agree to pay the rent. Both of us had plan to go to Florida for the fourth of July weekend to spend it with our parents. We plan on leaving on the third by plane. The morning of July 2. I woke up and got ready for school.

"Emily I'm leaving for school." Todd said.

"What Time you be back? Remember we're leaving Tommorow so you better be packed by morning." said Emily.

"Yeah yeah I will I will." said Todd.

"I'll see if I can be back tonight early by 7 or 8." said Todd.

"All right See ya." said Todd.

I left the apartment and went to culinary school. The rest of the morning was just average morning but one thing was a little strange was the tv in the morning all of the tv stations except one station were all fuzzy and disoriented. But I just assumed that our tv set was broken or something. The day suddenly changed when one of my classmates mention that some strange phenomenon was happening in Russia. We all decided to watch the news on our lunch break. It was then we found out that more of the phenomenon was napping in several countries including America. Suddenly the break room began to shake and one of the students came to the break room and told everyone that something was coming this way. We all left the school and went outside. What we saw changed everything.

It looked the sky was on fire. That something was coming from clouds something large. My eyes were glued to the sky. The phenomenon continued until the something come out of the clouds. It was the largest thing I ever seen. It was black and it hovered above the city covering it entirety. It look liked a spaceship like something out of a science fiction movie. But this was real it wasn't a movie or a dream this was happening. As the spaceship hovered in the middle of the city the People on the street ran for their lives believing the end of days was here. Me I reached for my cellphone and immediately called my sister.

"Come on Emily pick up the phone." said Todd.

"Todd?" said Emily as she picked up the phone.

"Emily are you seeing this?" said Todd.

"Yeah I can't believe this. This can't be real." said Emily.

"Listen Emily I gonna skip class and head to the apartment I suggested you do the same." said Todd.

"Okay see you then." said Emily as she hang up the phone. Class was cancelled anyway as the chefs were more concerned about leaving the city then teaching us French cooking. I rushed towards the apartment on foot. I didn't bother to take a bus or subway. I just wanted to get home and see if Emily was all right. I ran in the streets as now people ran from the sight of the spaceship. Others started looting houses believing the end is near. The streets were filled of cars bumper to bumper. I ran to my apartment. As I enter I noticed the neightbors including some of them I knew we're already packing and leaving the apartment. I didn't bother to stop and said anything I just ran to my apartment. I open the door and entered my apartment.

"Emily!" said Todd

"Todd!" said Emily as she appeared. We hugged both of us were scared.

"What's happening? What are those things in the sky?" said Emily.

"I don't know. Maybe they could be ships from other worlds." said Todd.

"You mean like Aliens?" said Emily.

"What else I mean look at that." said Todd as he pointed to the crafts on the news. Emily when she entered the apartment had turn on the news.

"Well I don't care what the hell they are I say let's get the city and get to mom and dad's at flordia." said Emily.

We both started packing. As I grabbed food, water and clothes and pack them in a suitcase I noticed the president has appeared on the tv.

"Hey Emily look!" said Todd.

Emily and I watch as the president explained about the alien ships arriving everywhere on Earth. He told The country not to be afraid but to see the event as historic. In his eyes the president has confident that whatever was above New York city was friendly. A pity half the city though otherwise. After the speech Emily continue packing. she so scared. Me I was more curious then scared.

"Todd come on let's go." said Emily as she started grabbing the packed bags towards the door.

"Emily I'm staying." said Todd.

"Todd this not the time to be kidding around now help me will ya!" said Emily.

"No Emily I'm serious I'm gonna stay." said Todd.

"Are you out of your damn mind? We can't stay!" said Emily.

"Well why not?" said Todd.

"We just can't I mean we don't know what the hell they are and they could be dangerous." said Emily.

"They could be peacefully. Look I highly doubt they came to earth to conquer us or anything. I mean we are witnessing something historical here and don't you want to tell your children and grandchildren one day and you were there?" said Todd.

"Look Todd I don't care even they are peacefully I'm to scared here and I'm leaving and you should leave too." said Emily.

"Fine you should go but I'm staying." said Todd.

"Todd come on we have to stick together." said Emily.

"Look the streets are gonna be packed beyond packed of other people leaving. I bet even we do leave we probably won't get very far." said Todd.

"Listen let's just stay here and see what happens and if nothing happens we'll leave Tommorow." said Todd.

"And if something does happen?" said Emily.

"Then let's hope its something good." said Todd.

After talking with Emily I went to the closet and took out our video camera. We often used

The camera to record birthdays and concerts and now I was gonna use it to record what is happening today.

After setting the camera up and put a fresh video in I pointed the camera to the ship and press record. I spent hours recording the alien ship in the middle of the city. I wanted to record every second of the ship. As I was recording the ship questions came rushing in my head. What did the aliens look like?, where they human like?, Do they speak English?, why did they came to earth? I anxious for answers. I hope I would get them soon. Emily spent the time calling mom and dad telling them that they are all right and they will see them soon. In addition I also kept my eyes on the news hopfully to catch in on any new information about the aliens. Nightfall eventually reach the city as the ship haven't moved from their position. I continue watching the ships through the camera. The news reported in Washington the military was planning on sending two helicopters in attempt to communicate with the aliens using lights. After a few minutes there was report on the news with the helicopters exploding by an accident or something. Before I check in something was happening to the ship above the city.

The center of it began to open up.

"Emily the ship somethings happening!" said Todd.

Both of us watch the ship. I increased the focused on the video camera to see the ships center open up. I saw green lights. I was exicted as I believed the aliens were about to show themselves or maybe they were gonna communicate with us. The center of The ship continue to open up and change form. Then on my camera i saw green energy began to build up in the center. The energy got bigger and bigger and until a beam of light shine on the empire state building. Them all of sudden we saw blast of energy that came out of the ship and struck the empire state building. The building suddenly exploded like a bomb been set off. The explosion destroyed the landmark from top to bottom until it was no more.

"Oh my god! OH MY GOD!" screamed Emily as she and I just witness the aliens destroyed the empire state building. Me I was paralyzed with fear.

The destruction didn't end with the empire state building. Just after it was destroyed a fiery wave of destruction appeared and destroyed anything it touched. Buildings, cars everything was destroyed by this force. I couldn't believe it.

"Todd We gotta go now!" said Emily as she pulled me away from the window and together we ran out the apartment. We ran down the stairs as with other people who also decided to stay. The building began to shake as the destructive force began to reach our street. Eventually we reach a bomb shelter that our building came with that was build during the cold war. Me and my sister along with several other people went inside the shealther. As now the building began to violently shake I fear the end was near.

I remembered I still carried the camera from our apartment.

I pointed the camera to us and decided to record a farewell to our parents.

"Mom dad this me and Emily if you got this video that means we didn't survive and I just wanted you to know that I love you Mom and dad." said Todd.

"Mom dad I love you so much." said Emily as she was crying.

The shelter shakes. Me and Emily hold hands as the lights went out and the shelter was covered in darkness. In my head I prayed. I was never a big believer but I prayed to God to spare me and my sisters life. I closed my eyes as prepare myself whatever happens next.

After what it felt like an eternity the shaking eventually stopped. We stayed in the shelter for hours until the decision was made to leave. Me, Emily and the inhabitants of the shelter pushed the door open. We climbed out of the rubble until we reached the surface. What we saw shocked us to our very core. The entire city of New York city was we looked there was buildings destroyed, small fires here and there, cars and other vehicles scattered everywhere.

The building that was once held our apartment our home was gone. It was instantly destroyed by the aliens weapons. Now it just rubble that covered that was once 23rd street. We looked around and saw no sign of life. There were some buildings that didn't get destroyed by the aliens. Those buildings miraculously stood in the destroyed city.

I feel to my knees. I couldn't believe what has happened. Just yesterday I had average morning with a home, a future career. Both me and my sister did. And now in just a few short hours that was taken away from us. Both me and my sister cried. We cried that we lost our home, our friends but most importantly we cried because we are alive.

The end.