Chapter One: Tragedy Strikes

It was the typical cold weather of September here in the usually humid south. Pretty weird huh? I sat on the bus in the back with my friends laughing, talking, and beinging girls. The four of us sat two to a seat and across the aisle from each other. I wore glasses that hid my green eyes and my hair was pulled into a braided ponytail with my bangs hanging out. I was the shortest out of everyone at the height of five foot three inches. My name is Teresa but I go by Lynn I got tired of people calling me mother Teresa and T. It drove me crazy. The girl I sat next to was one of my best friends. She had brown hair streaked with blonde and green eyes as well but her eyes could change to grey if angered. She stood at five foot six and could be quite intimidating if you got her pissed. Her name was Courtney but we called her Reese because of her hair.

One of my other friends sat across from us she had short dark brown hair with eyes to match and she's five foot four one inch taller than myself. Freckles dotted her pale complexion on her face we usually teased her about wanting to play connect the dots. Her name was Amy but we just called her Summomo. The fourth in our group had mid back brown hair pulled into a high ponytail. She had blue green eyes and stood at five foot five her name was Beth but her nickname was Pixie. We were talking about the club we were hoping to start this semester. You see the four of us are big anime fans to the point we would sometimes dress as the characters. We've learned that a good majority of our school were in some way an anime fan so we decided to make a club.

"So Lynn are we really going to start the club?" Summomo asked me.

I looked at her and smiled, "Yup, I talked to Mr. Johnson two days ago. He said all we need to do was find a sponsor for the club gather at least ten people and we're a shoe in." I answered.

"Look out people the anime gang is here to stay!" said Reese as she pumped her fist in the sir.

The four of us couldn't help but bust out laughing. We laughed till the bus stopped at the entrance way of the school. My friends got off the bus before me as I walked down the narrow aisle of the bus I felt a spark and sinking feeling hit me. It felt like something terrible was going to happen or will happen. Call me crazy but sometimes if it will effect me, my family, and friends I can tell when something isn't right. Jumping off of the bus and walking into the hall towards my locker, I shook the thought from my head because I have to be occupied with my classes.

During the whole day to my annoyance and worry the feeling got stronger. I was in my last class for the day when the feeling was more intense. I sat at my assigned art table my art folder and art box beside me ready to finish the stupid watercolor marble still life. I hated that project to this day, it was pointless and a pain in the butt. Especially with the art teacher breathing down your back and pointing out all your flaws. I pulled out my little sketchbook beginning to sketch out a character out of my head. I was just finishing the hair of the character when my three best friends came in and all sat next to me.

"Whatcha drawing?" Kairi asked me as she sat on my left.

"Dunno just some random charrie." I answered.

She just nodded while I continued drawing what I didn't know would be the hair of someone I would soon meet. The class waited for both the art teacher and the student art teacher. I looked at my friends noticing that Amy sat on Kairi's left and Ami was on my right. I smiled softly hoping that the feeling I was having wouldn't be true. A few minutes later the only teacher to come in was the student teacher. I noticed her face was solemn as were most of the class. Me and my friends wondered what could've happened to cause them to look so grim.

The student teacher turned to us and began to speak, her voice was about to crack.

"Today an unfortunate event has happened this morning. I don't know if any of you what happened so I'm going to tell you. The world trade center towers and a section of the pentagon were hit by planes. Also in Shankesville , Pa another plane crash landed in a field not longer after the earlier attacks. I know I'm not suppose to show you this but I think you need to know and see how this will effect you." she said before turning on the T.V and turning the channel to CNN.

The whole class was silent as we watched the horrible videos. I watched as the first two planes crashed into the trade centers and my heart sank finally knowing what the feeling was. I continued to watch as people were running down the street exiting the buildings. Many were covered with injuries and dust. They most likely came from the floors that were a safe distance below were the planes crashed. I felt tears fill my eyes I noticed people falling out of the higher windows committing suicide. I didn't blame them it was either jumping to my death of burning alive or worse if the building collapsed and being buried under the rubble dieing of hunger, dehydration, and lack of oxygen.

When the north tower fell that's when I heard everyone trying to hold back sobs. I didn't care and I let the tears fall freely. So many people lost their lives never in my life have I thought something like I was watching would happen. I looked to my left and saw both Kairi and Amy crying. I looked to my right seeing that Beth was crying as well. All of a sudden I flung my arms around their shoulders and pulled them into a hug as the four of us just sat there and cried not caring what our classmates thought.

After class none of us spoke when we walked to the bus to get on or even on the way to the middle school to pick up the middle schoolers. Our minds were reeling with what we saw ten minutes ago. I looked out the window the images still fresh in my mind. I thought that after knowing what happened the feeling of something bad would happen would disappear but it was still there. I began to wonder on what would happen next but cleared my head as the began to move with the middle schoolers also looking solemn.

'So much for the carefree days. No more teenagedom so long innocence may we all be blessed with strength for things to come.' I thought to myself sighing.