Authors Note: Hey guys, I got this idea from a song “End of the World” by David Campbell which is written at the bottom. 9/11 ended up being very much in my thoughts as I wrote the last sections – A tribute to all those who died like this. The poem at the end was written by me (its rough, I haven’t edited it yet) about 9/11. Anyway please read and review, even though its sad.

Thanks guys – your all awesome,

Schaefy

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Steph’s POV

I walked into my apartment holding Morelli’s hand feeling relaxed and happy. We’d spent a rare free day together at the park with Bob, walking and generally watching the world go by under a perfectly blue sky and the kind of sun which warms you to the core.

I dumped my bag on the kitchen counter as did Morelli with the groceries we’d picked up in anticipation of dinner. Wishful thinking I know. Then he pulled me into him and nestled his head into my neck, brushing his lips over the soft skin. I sighed with pleasure. I would never get sick of this.

Suddenly he gathered me up in his arms and carried me through to the living room, where he sat me down on his lap. I giggled as he grinned roguishly, then covered his lips in another bone melting kiss.

We sat like that for awhile until he gently pushed me down to lie on the couch and stretched beside me.

“Mmm… this is more like it.” He growled sexily into my ear.

I snorted with laughter again and allowed him to claim my lips for a while. But someone else had other ideas.

There was a resounding “BANG!” from downstairs and the building shook violently. It seemed like the whole world was shaking as I clutched Morelli, long cracks appeared up the walls where bricks and plaster had moved in their places. Crashes echoed from everywhere as furniture was thrown askew and smashed apart on impact. The TV was smashed in a corner, chairs thrown about and from the booming “SMASH” from my bedroom, my chest of drawers had tipped over.

I had Joe’s shoulders in a death grip as I stared around at my world quaking from side to side. I was panicking now, tears of utter terror rolling down my face as I shook with fear and shock. Morelli had a look of complete shock on his face as he stared around at the building swaying and rocking. Suddenly he came to his senses and gathering me in his arms again he rolled us under the coffee table next to the couch. We crouched under it, me sobbing, him white faced but focused.

There was another “BOOM” as something else hit the building. I screamed and put my arms around Morelli. He held me close and whispered in my ear.

“It’s ok, We’ll be alright.”

But I knew it wasn’t true. There was such a slim chance of survival… the panic tore everything from my mind, leaving it empty of anything except fear and shock. There was nothing I could do to save myself.. or Joe. I clung to him harder. O wasn’t ready to leave him or die myself, but I knew I couldn’t bear life if only I survived.

I was scared out of my mind, tears making clean tracks down my face which by now was covered by the constant streams of dust coming from the ceiling. Then as I took another deep, shuddering breath I heard something. Screams. The screams of other people in the building. The screams of people destined to die. There were bloodcurdling shrieks, pleading and yells of pain tearing through the building, almost as if they themselves were destroying it - all the emotion snapping the bricks and walls like wood. These people were dying. Slowly. Horribly. Unable to escape. At once my sobs redoubled not for fear for myself, but for my lack of ability to help the others. My heart tore with every shriek, scream and yell until I could bear it now more. I blocked them out and turned to look at Morelli who was still holding me.

Over his shoulder I could see the hairpin cracks in my walls slowly widening with each impact, counting the time until they would collapse.

“We have to get out of here. Now. I’m going to go and look for an escape route. I’ll be back for you, don’t worry!” Morelli yelled over the sounds of the weakening walls, crashing, smashes and impacts on the building. I screamed to him not to go but he quickly squeezed me close in reassurance then rolled out from underneath the table.

He started to commando crawl across to the window, but after now more than a few metres he stopped. Then the floor rippled. And collapsed. Morelli fell through the hole with it, his yell of shock and surprise wrenching my heart as I saw his brown eyes twist toward me, full of surprise.

“No!” I yelled. It couldn’t have happened. No. I had to get to Joe! I clamped down on my fear, the pain in my heart palpable. He wasn’t. He hadn’t. Died?

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I crawled out from under the table as the walls shook violently again. Then a blast erupted from underneath me larger and closer than ever before. My eardrums burst with the force of the sound and I was knocked into the couch by the shockwave that hit me a instant later.

I pulled myself to my knees and started crawling toward the growing hole in the floor. I had to get to Morelli. For a split second I looked up again… and stopped dead.

The cracks in the walls were now inches wide, daylight streaking through creating rays of sunlight through the dust. Large chunks of wall began to crash and move against each other. We were going down.

Then I hurled myself almost in slow motion down the now huge hole in my floor and landed on piles of concrete and rubble. The air was so thick with dust and more rubble raining down on me that I could barely see through it. I had seconds before the roofs collapsed and I had to find Joe.

Through the smog I spotted his limp form on the ground a few metres away, pulling on his leg which looked like it was trapped under a slab of broken concrete. I scrambled over the rubble in the room ignoring the pain of many cuts and bruises across my torso, and reached Morelli. He stopped pulling at his leg and took me in his arms. Then sighed, a regretful nostalgic look in his dark eyes.

“This is it Steph. I love you forever. I’m just glad I have you with me for when it comes.”

His face contorted with pain as the slab shifted and his hands clutched at his leg. Then he gave a great tug and it came free. It was mutilated. It was crushed so badly in places it was hard to tell what was skin or flesh, broken bones visible everywhere. He was very pale now, the light in his eyes fading.

“Joe, I love you.” I said desperately, trying to get his eyes to refocus, to recognise me. He made a huge effort, the pain written all over his face, then looked me in the eye.

“I know Steph.”

Then he went limp in my arms, his strength giving out under the weight of his injuries, his eyes rolling. Then there was a huge crunching sound and as if in slow motion everything around me seemed to implode as the walls finally fell towards us, me shielding his limp body with mine.

The air was clogged with dust and rubble as I struggled to breath. As I waited. As I waited for the end.

Then a monstrous weight hurled itself on my body, crushing it and forcing the air out of my lungs. Agony, beyond anything I could bear, ripping and tearing my body apart. My mouth opened in a silent scream, eyes wide with shock. Then darkness.

I had taken my last breath. I had smiled my last smile. And I was gone.

THE END

End of the World – David Campbell

If time was a river
With nowhere to run
Where would you wanna be,
finally
When the moment comes

And if forever
Is frozen in stone
What would you wanna say
That couldn't wait
Would I be the last to know?

Coz all I wanna do is lose myself
In the sweet touch of your skin
I know this might sound crazy
I'd be there for you when the sky
was falling in

[chorus
And if this was the last day of my
life
I'd wanna spend it looking in your
eyes
Coz all I wanna do is hold you girl
In my arms at the end of the
world

And in the shadows
You come like the sun
Make every second count
I'd feel cheated now
If tomorrow never comes

Because when there's someone
you'd die for
That's when you know you're
alive
And baby that's the way that you
make me feel
When I'm lying by your side

Coz all I wanna do is lose myself
In the sweet touch of your skin
I know this might sound crazy
I'd be there for you when the sky
was falling in

[chorus

End of the world baby

I'll be there waiting when the sky
comes falling in
When it all comes crashing down
I'll be holding your hand baby

[chorus

The Fateful Day

We remember them as heroes all

All of whom by chance hath fall’n.

To a terrible death they deserved not,

While their killers walked free, to live and plot.

The world paused as the dust settled

And cleared to reveal the rubble,

Of dreams and hopes and lives,

Which now were not to be.

So let us come together to stop this,

In unity put our minds to the cause.

For two minds are better than one,

And together we can stop this pause

In our worldly peace.