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THIS IS A FICTIONAL STORY

Remembering
by Hannah

I am a normal kid. Every year, I look forward to October 22, which is my birthday. It was my tradition to invite a few friends to Windows on the World, the restaurant at the top of the Twin Towers. My favorite birthday was the one when I turned 10, in 2000. I remember it like I remember my times tables up to 12. I remember the vanilla cake with a thick layer of chocolate icing. White chocolate chips and rainbow sprinkles spelled the words, "Happy Tenth Birthday Susannah!" with 10's in pink icing floated around the edges.

As we were leaving, my mom said, "Smile!" and my friends and I all smiled for a surprise picture. I still have it. I was distraught like just about everybody when I heard about the WTC on September 11th. When I got home, my dad was watching the news and cursing. My mom was on the phone, comparing it to Pearl Harbor with my friend Cleo's mom. Later, I saw her putting a big "X" through a sheet of paper. "What's that?" I asked her. "Your surprise birthday party, your tradition," Mom responded. That really turned my brain on. Aside from killing many, many people, those planes also ruined some people's personal lives. My problem seems minor, and it is. I have no defense on that.

When October 22 rolled around, we recreated Windows on the World. We took another surprise picture, and I had a vanilla cake with a thick layer of chocolate icing, and white chocolate chips and rainbow sprinkles spelling the words Happy Eleventh Birthday Susannah! with 11's in pink icing floating around the edges. And it wasn't as good as when I turned 10...but it came very close.