It was 9/11 when everything changed. There were cries of pain and a sense of relief. A hospital with a room filled with people. People holding hands, praying that everything would be okay.

Doctors rushing into the room, all scrambling to help.

It was 2010 when I woke up, thinking it was a normal day and everything would happen as usual. My brother yelled at me to make my own breakfast. I had a soccer game that day and I was super excited. I ran downstairs and fell. Blood flowed on my knees because I tend to get injured easily. “I scraped my knees!” I yelled at my brother. My brother walked out of his room and walked downstairs. He inspected my knees.

“You’re fine. Go make your breakfast. You have a soccer game today.” I scowled. Why didn’t he care that I had scraped knees? I might need to get my leg amputated, I thought.

“Mommy! Mommy?” I called my mom to tell on my brother. No answer.

“Mom isn’t here,” said my brother.

“Daddy! Daddy?” Still no answer.

“He isn’t here either.” My head filled with a sense of dread. What had happened? Where had they gone?
Freya, my best friend whom I had gone to preschool with and did everything with came to my house so her mom could take us to the soccer game. The entire car ride there, my mind drifted and my hands and feet couldn’t stop moving. When we had arrived at the soccer game, I walked out to the soccer field and the game started. Someone passed me the ball and I dribbled, only, I was going the wrong way!

“Catherine, where are you going?” yelled the coach. I snapped out of my trance and dribbled the right way. During the game, I kept checking the sidelines to see if my parents were there. They didn’t come for the entire soccer game. A melancholy sense filled my heart. I asked Freya’s mom where my parents were. She smiled.
“You’ll see.” I was mad. How could she smile at a time like this? My parents could have been kidnapped for all I know. Freya and I got back into the car and her mom took me back home. I was about to get out of the car but then the car door opened and my brother hopped in. I was bewildered. What in the world was he doing in here. Freya’s mom started the engine. Freya and I looked at each other.

“Wait mommy? Where are we going?” asked Freya.

“You’ll see,” said her mom with a smile.

We arrived at a hospital and I started panicking. Why were we at a hospital? My mind darted from thought to thought. I clutched onto my brother’s arm. I had rocks instead of feet, icy breath filling my heart even though it was a hot day. We arrived at the counter where the nice nurse was sitting, offering me a piece of candy. I refused. I had to go see my parents. When we had finally arrived at my mom’s hospital room, I held my breath as the door opened. The wind was knocked out of me. Sure enough my mom was there with my dad next to her, both smiling but there was also a stranger in my mom’s arms. Who was that baby that my mom was holding?
“Hi Catherine, hi Hokyun,” said my dad with a welcoming smile. “This is your new baby sister.” My jaw fell to the ground and all sense was knocked out of me. What did he just say? The world came crashing down and a pounding sound filled my ears. I clenched my jaw and tightened my fists. I have a sister? I’m the sister in the family but now there is another one? Tears were filling my eyes and my mouth fell into a droop. I realized you can’t take her back and this would be the turning point of my life. I would just have to grow up and live with what I had. On 9/11/2010, my life changed forever.