Chapter 2
September 9, 2001 midnight


Her and her mom stayed at the hospital for the night. At 3:46 am, Cindy went to the coffee machine and bought a hazelnut latte. Soon after, her mom bought herself a cup of hazelnut latte, too. They stayed awake, although still dreadfully tired, and waited. Finally a doctor came out of the room. He stopped and asked them a question about his recent patient.

“Are you Carol’s relatives?”

They nodded. He sighed heavily before continuing.

“Carol has died, just a short while ago. She was a diabetic,” he sighed. “She didn’t know, but had the symptoms and ignored them.”

“She really wasn’t a huge worrier,” her mom shook out. She cried in between words.

Cindy was flabbergasted by the news. Her grandma always cared for her. Took her everywhere she went and let her stay at her house. Her aunts on her mother and fathers side are dead. They experienced car accidents, diseases, and other horrible occurrences. And there is one in jail. Along with her uncle Harry. She had no more family except her mom.
But not for long.

Chapter 3
September 10, 2001 6:00 am


Cindy’s alarm clock went off at 6:00 am. She went into the bathroom and sluiced her face to rouse herself up. She took a ten minute shower and went to her closet. She slipped into dark blue skinny jeans and a violet blouse. She tiredly slipped on her black fuzzy boots and went into the kitchen to find her mom at the table with a mug of coffee. She placed a plate of two pancakes and a fork at the table. Cindy poured her desired amount of syrup. She sat down and began eating.

“The funeral is next Friday, Cindy. Are you going to go?” her mom asked.

Cindy shrugged.

“Well, if you don’t know, then you probably might not go,” her mom said taking the last sip of her coffee.

Cindy put down her fork with attitude. The fork made a loud bang on the table enough to startle anyone.

“What is that suppose to mean?” she snapped.

She heatedly got out of her chair and stomped into the bathroom and slammed the door. Her grandmother’s death was a challenge for Cindy to face When she went into the hospital, she kept thinking of her dad. She loved him so much. She often thought that life would be easier if her dad was still alive. She began crying.

“Cindy?”

A voice came through the door. It was her mom. She opened the door. She walked to her crying daughter and enveloped her in her arms. She kept on muttering words like, “Hush now” and “Everything is alright”. Cindy didn’t know if she meant them or if her mom wanted her to calm down.

“I really want to go to the funeral, mom,” Cindy managed to say between tears.

Her mom gave a lengthy sigh and nodded.

“Okay. C’mon. You need to catch the bus for school,” she said.

Cindy’s mom walked out of the room. Cindy followed. She took her backpack and walked out the door to the bus stop. She didn’t continue without looking back at her house to see her mom standing at the window waving. And for the first time in a long time, ten years, Cindy waved back.

When Cindy got to school, she went to her locker and abandoned her backpack and coat and locked them happily inside. She strolled into her homeroom class and sat in her seat. The student took out a notebook and began drawing a picture of her dad. Sometimes it’s hard to remember what he looked like, Cindy thought.

Just then Chelsea and her new boyfriend, Logan Jameson, walked up to her.

“Hey!” she said cheerfully.

Logan just stared at her. His beady blue eyes pierced into Cindy’s. She had to look away. He was certainly charming, but undoubtedly was heartless. Cindy didn’t answer Chelsea.

“Hello? Are still alive? Or did someone give you a heart attack?!” she joked.

Cindy was suddenly angry. Her face was as red as a tomato. She stood up and assertively and harshly gave her reply.

“That’s not funny!” she said firmly.

Chelsea backed away and looked at her. One eyebrow raised.

“What’s your problem?!” she snapped.

Cindy walked toward her but was cut off by Logan.

“What is your problem?” he snapped.

Cindy could beat him up, and he knew it. Logan was on the football team, but that doesn’t mean he was strong. Logan was muscular, but he was gifted enough. Cindy stared at him fiercely. He began backing away also. Chelsea walked away and went to talk with Christy and Eve. Logan stayed firmly in his place. He just looked at her.

“Wow! Your eyes are purple!” he began laughing and pointing at her eyes.
Immature. Cindy thought. It is true that boys mature much later after girls. I mean, look at him and he is in high school! Just then the bell rang, and Cindy swiftly collected her belongings and headed to her next class, French. She caught up with Sara, a girl from her French class and the #1 nerd in school. Sara didn’t care what people thought of her. She just wanted good grades, attention, and 100% on everything. But, fortunately, she was super nice.

“Hey Sara!” Cindy said politely.

Sara looked at her.

“I am sorry what happened to your grandma. I read her death in the obituaries column,” she answered compassionately. “When my mom died, I was extremely distressed. My dad’s in prison, and I live with my Grandparents. They don’t understand me, though.” She paused. “When Mother’s Day rolls around, I always remember my mom. I can’t tell her “Happy Mother’s Day.” but I can remember how she cared for me. I always came to her for whatever problem I was facing.”

“What did she die from?” Cindy asked curiously.

Sara explained how her mom had died from lung cancer four years ago. Cindy responded by telling her that her father died from a car accident.

“I am so sorry!” Sara said sympathetically.

They sat down for French class and talked for five more minutes. Cindy thought Sara was going to cry, but she didn’t. Unexpectedly, the wall speaker talked.

“Sara Walden. Please come to the office.”

Sara anxiously rose from her seat and walked slowly out the door.

Chapter 4
September 10, 2001 5:56 pm


Cindy walked home after school. She sat down at the kitchen table to do her homework. At 5:56 p.m., her mom came home. She opened the door for her. She walked in and set down her purse on the chair. Cindy took it and set it beside the recliner. Cindy walked into the kitchen to finish her homework. Her mom followed her to start supper. She went to the refrigerator and took out two apples and two bananas. She set them on the counter and took out a knife, then began cutting the fruits. She put the slices in a bowl. She took out sauce and noodles from the cupboard. And found a big pan and filled it with water. Her mom set it on the stove and turned the burner to high. Cindy asked what was wrong. Her mom didn’t answer at first. She sighed loudly clearly indicating there was.

“I am fine,” she said.

Cindy looked at her again. She looks stressed, she thought. The water began to boil. Geraldine poured in the noodles. She set the burner to five, and sat down at the table to cut bread.

“Honey, I have to go somewhere tomorrow,” Cindy’s mom remarked.

Cindy put down her pencil. She was perplexed by this statement and listened.

“Where?” she asked. Her mom didn’t answer.

“I have to see if I can find a babysitter for two days while I am up there,” she answered calmly.

“Where?” Cindy said, repeating her previous question.

“Is that fine if I call a babysitter while I am up there?” she asked.

“Where?!” Cindy said again a little louder.

“New York,” her mom replied quickly.

Cindy was thunderstruck.

“Why New York?”

“I was laid off today, me and a few other people,” Cindy’s mom said.

“Mom! Why are you going to New York?” Cindy asked, again.

“My boss said he has a friend that needs three more employees. He suggested we fly to New York and check it out.”

“Where is this job at?” Cindy asked.

“New York’s Twin Towers.”

Cindy’s mouth opened quick, but no words came out. She couldn’t believe it. Her mom, at this time, finished cutting the bread and got up from her chair. She placed each piece of bread strategically into a basket. Then, she placed it on the table. The noodles were done cooking and she added the sauce. She set the main dish on the table as well as the silverware, two plates, and two cups. Cindy moved her homework and set her backpack in her room. She sat down in her chair and her mom finished setting the table. They began the prayer. After the prayer was done, Cindy filled their plates and began eating. The meal was quiet. The only sounds were the metal forks hitting the glass plates in what seemed like a tune entertaining them. Cindy was the first to interrupt the ‘music.’


“I don’t need a babysitter. I can stay here by myself. Or I can go with you,” she suggested.

Her mom shook her head.

“I want you to stay here. You have school, and I only have enough money for one person. I could call Mrs. Ammle to see if she could keep in eye on you.”

Cindy didn’t want to stay. She wanted to go.

“I want to go, though,” she responded, desperately.

Her mom repeated her previous statement.

“Isn’t there some way we could borrow the money from someone? I don’t like the idea of you going by yourself,” she retorted, hoping her mom would change her mind.

“No, I don’t know who I would get the money from. And I want you to stay here. Closed discussion,” her mom said firmly.

“But-”

“Closed issue!” her mom said with her voice raised.

Cindy got up from the table. It shook sadistically and she stomped off to her room. But she didn’t close the door without closing the conversation.

“You never listen to me! I try to say something, and you never let me say anything. I hate you!”

After her discourteous statement, she slammed the door.

Her mom sat there, speechless. She began to clear off the table. She walked over to Cindy’s bedroom door and opened it. Her daughter was in her bed curled up, crying. She softly closed the door and went into her bedroom to begin packing for her strenuous journey.

Chapter 5
September 11, 2001 6:35 am


Cindy woke up and went into the kitchen. There she found a note taped to the table. She read it aloud.

Cindy, went to New York. Contact Mrs. Ammle in case of an emergency. I will call when I get there. Love you Bubbles! Bye! And don’t forget, be careful, and there is a hundred-dollar bill for you to go to the grocery store to get food. It’s in the cabinet by the sink.
I packed you a lunch.




Love,




Mom

Cindy couldn’t believe it. Her mom was gone. She slammed down the note and went into her bedroom and got dressed for school. She got onto the bus and sat in her seat. Cindy stared out the window for the whole ride. No one talked to her at all. She thought about crying, but suddenly, she decided to act tough. She had this feeling inside of her. She really didn’t care that her mom left.

The bus arrived at her school. When she was walking off the bus, she saw Logan and Chelsea. They were holding hands while they walked into the school. Cindy caught up with Chelsea.

“Hey Chels! What’s up?” Cindy chimed.

Chelsea looked at her.

“Hey, about yesterday,” Chelsea started.

“Don’t worry. Forget it,” Cindy said cutting her off.

Cindy talked to Chelsea until they were at their homeroom. Cindy stopped and opened her locker and put in her backpack and notebook. She kept out her binder and pencil and went to sit at her desk. Chelsea and Logan were talking with the popular crowd. Cindy walked over to join them.

“I went to the mall yesterday and was in Deb’s and this guy started to talk to me. I found out it was Jason Henson. I talked with him and the conversation ended when he asked me to the prom!!” Eve boast.

Chelsea and everyone, including Cindy, gasped.

“No way,” replied Chelsea.

“You go girl,” replied another in the group.

Cindy and Chelsea headed back to their seats after lots of “high fives” to Eve.

“I wish someone would ask me to the dance,” Cindy said disappointed.

Chelsea ignored her remark.

“I picked out my dress already, its gold. It has a pearl sash. It’s really pretty. I got it from Deb’s.”

“I really wish someone would ask me,” Cindy said.

Just then, the bell rang and everyone got up at the same time. Everyone was trying to get out at the same time. It was like trying to fight a big pack of hungry wolves. Chelsea and Cindy knew better than to run with them. They waited until the pack of wolves were done fighting for the piece “meat“ of getting out the door. Then they both walked out. When she got to French class, she saw Sara. She sat down next to her and asked her why she was called to the office.

“I really don’t want to talk about!” she snapped.

Cindy backed away.

“Wow! Grr to you too!!“ she retorted.

The teacher rang the bell.

“All right class, calm down. Lets start today lesson. Can anyone tell me how to say mom in French?”

Cindy and Sara raised their hands and so did a couple other people. The French teacher called on Henry, a very smart kid in high school. He answered her question correctly.

“Good job, Henry!” she praised.

For the rest of the class, they did paperwork and graded it. Just then, the bell rang. Everyone hurried out the door and half of the class went to band or choir. Cindy went to choir. She met up with Chelsea.

“Hey, Cindy, how was French class? Boring as ever?” Chelsea joked.

“Uh, duh! You were suppose to be there, but you weren’t. Where were you?” Cindy asked.

“I was busy,” Chelsea said.

“Busy? Doing what?”

“Me and my boyfriend skipped an hour to go get coffee,” she whispered.

Cindy gasped. She couldn’t believe her friend did that.

“You can get caught, you know,” Cindy warned her.

“Pish posh! Who cares!” Chelsea said unworriedly.

Instead of singing, the choir class completed a worksheet. Once choir was over the students split and switched classes. The morning passed by quicker than you could say the word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. After their last class of the morning, everyone went into the lunchroom. Cindy and Chelsea sat down with their lunches. Cindy had a salad and two chocolate chip cookies. She also was packed a peach yogurt. Her mother packed it before she left for New York. Cindy kept thinking of her mom. she checked her watch. It was 12:30. She wondered if her mom arrived in New York. Before she knew it, lunch was over and she was sitting study hall, where she was reading. Then, they were told to report to home room. Her teacher stood at the front of the classroom and cleared her throat. Everyone drew their attention to the front of the class.

“Class, I am handing out your report cards. There are only three students, however, that got a perfect GPA,” she announced.

Mrs. Harold began calling out her students names.

“Georgia Ace, Scarlet Ames, Matthew Bean, Maxine Buck, Benjamin Casey, Mason Dern, Jillian Finn, and Christy Ingold.”

All the students who got there names called walked up and retrieved their most likely doom. Christy was walking back when she suddenly began jumping up and down.

“Yes! I didn’t get a D in algebra! I got a D+! My mom is gonna be so happy!” she said excitedly.

Eve congratulated her. Their teacher went on.

“Logan Jameson, Chelsea James, Kelley Kerri, Mary Mack, and Vicki Nightingale, Sara Owens, Elizabeth Preston, Patty Queen, Mallory Robinson, and Eve Taps, Lili-Anne Took, and Cynthia Tarry.”

Cindy walked up with the rest of her peers and got her report card. She looked at it. Her face brightened and then she frowned in disgust.

“Well, that’s it. Here are top students. Sara Owens, Jillian Finn, and Cynthia Tarry.”
Everyone began giggling in their seats. They were trying not to laugh aloud. Some people were whispering. Chelsea was even giggling. Cindy looked at her. Chelsea stopped giggling and squirmed uncomfortably. Logan was practically off his chair.

“What is so funny?!” their teacher asked harshly.

No one answered. Her face turned red. She stomped over to Benjamin Casey. He was giggling so hard you would think he was going to faint. He suddenly stopped when he saw Mrs. Harold.

“Benjamin Kurt Casey, you tell me why you and everyone else is laughing?!” she demanded.

He just shrugged.

“Is it because these fine students got a higher GPA than you did, with your 2.345?” she snapped back.

Mrs. Harold walked back up to the front of the classroom. The students all knew she was about to give them a lecture.

“You three may take your seats. Now, you may not agree, class, but with your low GPA’s and horrible grades, besides you three, I wish you good luck into finding a nice college.”

Cindy began to giggle. No one thought it was funny. The end of the day bell rang and the students who rode the bus home for their transportation went to their lockers and got their things. Cindy didn’t go with them, since her mom wasn’t going to be home when she got there.
I can do what ever I want to, and she wouldn’t have to know, Cindy thought. When the buses were gone, walkers were dismissed, and Cindy walked out with Chelsea.

“I can’t believe I got a 4.0 for my GPA. Now I will be the talk of the school! Cindy The Geek.”
Cindy complained.

Chelsea just laughed.

“I know! It’s hilarious! You know, we might have to spend a week or two away from each other because I will start being known as Chelsea, Cindy The Geek’s friend. It will ruin my reputation. You understand, right?” Chelsea asked.

Cindy just nodded. Chelsea smiled and turned around to catch up with Logan.
Cindy got her backpack and shut her locker. She walked down the hallway and out of the school’s doors. Cindy stopped at the grocery store and used her mother’s one-hundred dollar bill to buy an energy bar. She walked home and unlocked the door. She put her backpack in her room and went into the living room. The phone was blinking. She walked over to the phone and saw the new message button blinking. She smiled. She knew her mom called to tell her she was in New York. Cindy pressed a button to listen to the message.

“You have one new message. Message one. Cindy, its mom, um, I won’t be making it home, honey. I have only one minute. Terrorists took over a plane. If I die, honey, please know I love you. Never forget that. Take care of yourself. There is a money stash in my top drawer of my dresser. Love you bub-”

The message stopped. Cindy stood in front of the phone, frozen. She could not breathe. Her mother. The mother in which her last words were to her were “I hate you”.

Chapter 6
September 11, 2001 7:57 pm


Cindy didn’t eat supper that night. After she heard the message, she immediately ran to the TV and turn it on. She had to find out what had happened in New York. She couldn’t believe her eyes. Before her, on TV, was playing out the terror that had happened earlier in New York. The Twin Towers had been sabotaged. Slammed into by planes overtaken by terrorists. This can’t be! It really WAS her mother’s plane! She ran into her bedroom and cried. Cindy couldn’t believe her mother was dead. She refused to believe her mother was dead. Just lost. Somewhere. Cindy was consumed with grief. The next day, she didn’t go to school. She couldn’t go to school. For two weeks, she didn’t go to school. She rarely ate. Her grades slowly came down. Teachers began to question where she was. The principal even came to her house. She didn’t answer. No one knew where she was or what had become of her. Cindy finally answered the phone three days later. It was Social Services.

“Hello? Cynthia Tarry? Is this you?“ the voice inquired. “I am Vector Greene from Social Services. I am scheduled to pick you up tomorrow around 8:30 a.m. Please be ready. Miss Tarry?”

Cindy put down the phone. She didn’t want Social Services to come get her. She didn’t want to talk to anyone. She just wanted her mother back. Cindy curled into a ball on the living room sofa. She hated what she said to her mother. She knew she had been angry. Why did she have to speak like that to her mother?

Chapter 7
October 2, 2001 8:29 am


There was a knock on the door. Cindy was awakened and walked out to the living room to answer it. She looked in the door glass. It was a man. Probably the man on the phone from Social Services. Cindy stepped back and took a deep breath. She opened the door slowly. He looked in.

“Miss Tarry? Hello, I’m Vector Greene. I spoke to you on the phone last night. I am here to pick you up. Where’s your bags?” he said.

Cindy didn’t say anything to this stranger. This stranger had intruded in her and her mom’s house. Cindy was not convinced her mother was dead. But she knew she had to cooperate. She turned around and walked into her room. Vector helped himself into the house. He shut the door. The man looked around the house. Dirty dishes cluttered the cupboards. Dust gathered on every hard surface you could think of. Vector understood why the house was a mess. Cindy walked out with three suitcases. She was still wearing pajamas, and her mom’s favorite blanket. Vector walked over and picked up one of her suitcases.

“Why are you here? How did you know that I was here?” Cindy asked, her voice drained out from crying.

Vector walked out the door towards his truck. He began loading the suitcases.

“After the accident in New York, many people died. They were mostly adults. Many people identified their loved ones. We were informed by your neighbor, Mrs. Ammle,” Vector answered.

Cindy looked down. Anger formed in her. Mrs. Ammle always ruined everything. She didn’t want to drive away with a stranger. A nerdy man she didn’t even know.

After they were done packing all of Cindy’s belongings, they climbed into the truck and buckled.

“Where am I going?” Cindy asked.

“The Orphanage. There is an open house to families tomorrow. We were informed that you had no other family that can take you in.” he replied softly.

Cindy didn’t say anything to him for the rest of the trip. She didn’t want to tell him anything else. The Orphanage she was going to was in Pennsylvania. Cindy didn’t want to go to the Orphanage. She just wanted her mom back.

Chapter 8
October 2, 2001 12:30 pm


They arrived in Pennsylvania. The Social Service man said it would be another half hour until they arrived at the Orphanage. Cindy had just woken up from a nap. She looked out the window. But in the corner of her eye she saw a newspaper next to the driver. She turned her head to see the headlines. New York Times Special Edition: The Twin Towers Gone. Cindy looked at Vector.

“Do you mind if I read the newspaper you have sitting next to you?” she asked, nervously.

“Oh, not at all,” he replied.

Cindy picked it up.
`Tragedy struck in New York. The beautiful Twin Towers collapsed by terrorists plane crashes. The North Tower was hit first and then the South. It is believed that terrorists may have come up with this death plan. Taking over many planes. Many people were killed…Cindy stopped and looked on the next page. The paper listed the deaths of every identified person who died. George Hawk, Christopher Jones, Ethan Taylor, Geraldine Tarry…, Doris Patt…

Cindy stopped. She asked Vector for a pair of scissors. He gave her small ones connected to a knife from his pants pocket. She cut out the article and her mom’s name and picture. She put down the scissors and the newspaper. She held them too her heart. Cindy was forced with the fact that her mom was dead. Gone. Deceased. Taken away and no return. Why would God take my mother away from me? Does He hate me? What did I ever do to Him? Cindy began to sniffle. A warm tear slid down her rosy cheek. It fell onto her lap. Another tear slid down her other cheek. She tried to hold hem back but she couldn’t. A river of tears formed in her eyes. Her eyesite blurred. Everything around her didn’t seem to care what she was dealing with. The trees just stood there, not weeping like Cindy was. The road was paved up instead of having puddles as if being puddles of tears. No one new what she was feeling. Everyone just said they understood to calm her down, but she knew better. She hated everyone. No one was good. Her dad died and now her mom is gone. Along with her beloved grandmother. Cindy loved no one because there was no one to love.

Chapter 9
October 3, 2001


When Cindy arrived at the orphanage, she immediately felt lonely. There were numerous boys there and about seven girls. There were boys of many ages, three were Cindy’s age, and a ten, five, seven, even a three year old. There was only two girls who were Cindy’s age, but one girl stood out to Cindy. She was often picked on for being short. She had blonde hair, the same shade as Cindy. As time the day went on, she often stood up for the girl. She was 14 years old, only two years younger than Cindy. This orphanage had the kids do chores. Cindy was in charge of emptying trash and lawn chores.

This week was very important because it began the open house for parents to come and look for a child to take into their homes. Today was the first day. The first family arrived at 9:30. It was a man and a woman. They were very chubby. The woman was very jolly. The man, however, didn’t seem to want to be there. They left about an hour later. They did find a young girl they wanted. Her name was Shelby. She particularly didn’t like the couple, but she was seven and was under aged to make any decision. The next day, a girl arrived. Cindy found out she was from her neighborhood. She soon recognized her.

“Sara? Sara Waldon? Is that you?”Cindy inquired of the girl.

She looked at Cindy. She looked confused.

“Yeah, who are you?” she asked.

Cindy was shocked.

“Remember? I’m Cindy from school? Why are you here?” Cindy asked Sara.

Sara didn’t answer. She just walked away. Cindy then knew why. Both her parents were gone.