9/11 Short Stories

Lightning strikes and thunder rumbles in the distance. The icy cold rain pounds against the roof. Lizzy sighs, looking out the window from the couch. “Ah, this is sooo boring . We’ve been stuck in this house for weeks because of all this stupid rain.” A streak of white light shines in the distance with the rumble of thunder soon after.

“Lizzy, it’s literally only been three days,” Ari, Lizzy’s only sibling, replies while mashing potatoes for dinner.

“Shut up Ari, you’re such an idiot,” Lizzy declares, looking up from the couch with a glare.

“Kids, kids. Calm down. I know it’s boring being stuck in the house, but there is no need to get hostile,” the children’s Dad, Martin, commands. He finishes making a caesar salad and places it into a salad bowl. He goes over to the radio by the fridge, and turns it up to hear the weather forecast.

““The current storm has shown no indications of stopping and will most likely continue for….”
“I’m not being hostile, whatever that means,” Lizzy sighs, “when will dinner be ready?” Lizzy inquires getting off the couch in the family room and into the kitchen.

She sits down at the breakfast bar .“I’m starving.” she says, pouting.

“You literally just ate a bag of popcorn, how are you still hungry?” Ari argues.

“That was then, and this is now. And now I’m hungry.” Lizzy replies, twirling her curly black hair. “So when is dinner gonna be ready?”

“...while there is a chance of floods, it’s not certain”

“Now” Dad who was fixing diner tells them while taking the steaks out of the oven. He places the just finished steaks onto a platter. “As soon as you set the table,

Liz.”
“What, why? I don't wanna,” she whines.
“Lizzy,” he warns in the classic parent voice.
“Ugh, fine.” Lizzy goes to the cabinets and takes out three plates, cups, forks and knives. “Ari can you help me? This is too much for me to carry.”
“Sure,” Ari replies, after setting down the mashed potatoes on the table. They take the plates and forks out her hands and sets them on the table. She follows after and they set the table. After setting out the table Lizzy asks everyone “What does everyone want? We have coke, lemonade and water.”
“I want lemonade,” Ari chimes.
“Water, for me,” Dad says.
“And I guess I’ll have a lemonade too.” Lizzy goes over to the fridge and fills two glasses with lemonade and one with water. She goes over to the table where Ari’s already sitting down and sets down the glasses.
Dad comes over with the steak and carefully sets it down. He sits down to her left and asks, “How much steak do you guys want?”
“A lot,“ Lizzy and Ari reply.
He starts cutting off huge chunks of the steak for the children. He places the meat onto the children’s plates.“ Lizzy do you need me to cut your stake for you?”
“No, I can do it myself. Can you pass me the salt and mashed potatoes though?” Lizzy asks.
Dad picks up the salt and mashed potatoes and hands them to her. “So how’s your day been?” he questions as though they he hadn’t heard Lizzy complaining all day.
“Fine” Lizzy and Ari reply. “But boring” Lizzy adds.
“Yes, I know, but soon the rain will stop and we won’t be cooped up in here all the time.”
They sit for the next 20 minutes talking about Lizzy’s weird dream when suddenly Lizzy interrupts “Do you hear anything?”
“Hear what?”Dad asks.
“Nothing, there's no sound no rain or thunder. Finally, we can go outside!” She jumps up out of her seat with Ari at her heels, out the door and onto the porch. “Finally out of the house.” Lizzy sighs deeply, smelling in the petrichor. The still wet porch soaks her socks, but she doesn't care, because she is finally out of the house.
“ Slow down, don’t hurt yourselves. Woah - wait is that a double rainbow?” Dad asks after coming out to join them.
“Oh my god it is. This is so cool!” Ari says.
“Wow, this is am- is it raining?” Lizzy groans, feeling a drop of rain splatter on her cheek.
“Yep, let's go inside.” Dad sighs ushering the children inside.
“Back inside” Ari sighs. “And back to boredom” Lizzy frowns.
They go back inside when suddenly Lizzy says “Let’s watch a movie. It’s so boring being stuck in here doing nothing.” Flopping onto the couch, her hair flying everywhere, she grabs the remote off of the coffee table. “So what do you guys wanna watch? Narnia?” Ari suggests.
“I’ll go make some popcorn” Dad says going into the kitchen. Ari and Lizzy get comfortable on the couch, snuggling up with their favorite blankets. “I guess this isn’t so bad, watching a movie and eating popcorn with you” Lizzy says. “It could be worse” Ari agreed, “we could be in a zombie apocalypse and have brain oozing from our heads .” “Ew” Lizzy says laughing, and throws a piece of popcorn towards Ari “you’re so gross.” Lizzy and Ari soon fall asleep and Dad is exhausted, but pleased that they made it through another day without anyone dyin