*~*

*~*

'A calm discussion; talk normally and firmly. Be angry, but don't explode. Above all back away from all sharp objects.' Merton Dingle repeated his mantra to him self, hoping that it might help him calm down. Merton had never been a particularly emotional type of person. In the past he had always been able to keep his cool with his parents in tough situations. Fortunately, the situations had never been this bad. The phone was held steady in his hands as he prepared to dial the number. He knew that the younger Dawkins could have brought his parents to his flat easily, but then the 'sharp objects' part of his mantra would have just been totally ignored.

"You're prolonging fate Merton. Call them." Lyrissa said. She had originally been there for a good night of the cheesiest horror flicks Merton owned, while her brother, his wife and Cally went out to see a more current film. While trying to be helpful, she was also becoming impatient.

A second later both girls could here the tones being pressed. Becky attentively slipped her arm around her brother to give him support. He seemed to welcome the gesture and smiled at her genuinely, for the first time in years. 'Cally was right, we don't hate each other' Merton thought allowing some of the tension to be released from his muscles. He gave Becky's hand a little squeeze as their mothers voice greeted him. Again Lyrissa pressed the speaker button, eager to here what was going on.

"Good evening Mrs. Dingle." Merton's voice sounded icy. In his mind he couldn't imagine calling her mom, or even mother so he resorted to formality.

"Merton?" sounded the voice. "We weren't expecting you to call. Is something wrong?"

"Becky's here. In tears." He stated coolly. The two sentences were all that were needed to convey his feelings, and his newfound knowledge. Having almost the same reaction as Becky, Mrs. Dingle was silent for a while before saying a word.

"And, how are…you?" his mother asked slowly.

"We'll come to that in a second." Merton snapped. "Right now we're discussing your children. Like I said, she's here with me in London, crying, apologizing, and telling me a very interesting story. A story that now explains why you suggested that I move my room to the basement, or why Becky had a curfew and I didn't, or why you seemed to care about Becky and not about me. Y'know not many parents would just up and let their kids move to Europe with a bunch of their friends. Cass at least to beg."

"I'm sorry…"

"I seem to be getting a lot of that tonight." He cut her off. "I don't want that anymore, especially not from you or your husband. I just want the truth, and I want to know why you didn't tell me before."

"We didn't tell you because we didn't think you were like us." She said bluntly. "Becky was, so we told her. You probably already know, but I'm a vampire. That's the reason you've got the pale skin. I'll fax over a picture of your father. When you see Tommy's sister again give it to her. She'll know what he is."

"Don't you know?" asked Merton. "You don't know?"

"Sorry no, I don't." there was a pause again. "Now can you please tell me how you are?"

*~*

A/n- I feel I have to tell someone this. At 8:45 when the first plane hit the 2nd tower of the former World Trade Center I was in my first period math class at S.O.M.S in S.O New Jersey. We were working on fractals when our principal came over the P.A system announcing that something had happened to the Trade Centers. He had no details. One minute later he announced that a plane had flown into it. My brother works on 1 Wall St. Our teacher turned on channel four news and we watched, live, the second plane hit. The guidance consoler then called for all student counselors to come to the guidance office. I went. Almost all of my friends were there waiting for news of their friends and family. I ran into the office, grabbed a phone and called my aunt. She told me my brother had missed the train this morning and was at home. I went back to my friends and started to do my job as student counselor, I counseled. I dealt with feelings and emotions that I never thought would come out. One of the girls in our school had a mother that was supposedly on the fated plane from Boston to L.A. she missed it, and took the next flight back home (South Orange). Coming into Newark airport she witnessed the plane she missed hitting the south tower and exploding. We were all listening to z-100 for more information. When the next plane hit the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia My friend's cousin perished. We wept, and held prayer circles.

Today on September 12, 2001 as I write this I can look out of my bedroom window and see army helicopters flying above us, because we're so close to Newark Airport. It's a constant reminder of the tragedy that has probably affected us all. My nephew has a poster in his room of Spider-man swinging in front of the Twin Towers. When I went to wake him up this morning I cried upon seeing it. I don't know why I'm telling you all this, It might be because I just want everyone across the country to know that this has affected all of us, from Hawaii to New York. My heart goes out to all the people who've lost loved ones in the World Trade Centers, The Pentagon, and on the four planes that were used against us.

-Yours truly in this tragic time for our country,

Kendra Bailey Pettis