Never To Be Forgotten

• Tasma Schutz, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2015

Biting back the fear I stared up at the buildings searching… not finding… looking for who could have caused the pain and horror.
Today was going to be an amazing day I could feel it. I woke up and bounded out of bed then skipped across the room to get dressed, I was in such a rush that I almost tripped over attempting to put my shoes on. I then dashed down the stairs and rushed out the door, barely pausing to snatch up my purse, hat and coat. I then began my twenty minute walk to Elm Street.
As I arrived the street was alive with celebration, people singing, and children dancing, everyone with pink flushes on their cheeks. I strolled down the road and went to find something to eat. I found a charming diner and had a cup of coffee with a blueberry muffin. As I was eating I glanced at my watch alarmed to see how much time I had left “5 minutes” I said aloud “Shoot” the line had been so long I hadn’t realised how long it had taken.
I hurried outside and came to a clear spot along the street, even though it wasn’t the place I’d seen earlier it was still an okay spot. As I stood there shifting from foot to foot looking up and down the road felt a sliver of fear shoot down my spine. I glanced around and shook off the feeling. “Nothing’s wrong” I muttered “Everything will be fine” I began to feel anxious “What if they didn’t show…” distantly I began to hear the cheer of the crowd as a car rounded the corner. I smiled there was the President sitting in the car waving seated next to his wife.
As the car got closer to me I began to feel the feeling that I had before except it was stronger, overpowering. I spun around and looked for something out of place not seeing anything. I turned a whole 360 degrees and watched the president come closer, just as the car approached there was a loud noise like a whip crack, something flying fast sped over the top of my head I didn’t have time to spin around as two other shots followed in quick succession “Bang! Bang!” I snapped around confused looking along the street then up at the building behind me.
Biting back the fear I stared up at the buildings searching… not finding… looking for who could have caused the pain and horror. As I was searching, the shiny black Lincoln Continental sped off wheels screeching, the acrid smell of burning rubber filled my lungs and nostrils. People ran in every direction children were screaming and crying no trace of happiness was left.
This day marked the death of America’s 35th president. On the 22nd of November 1963 President John F. Kennedy was killed and America changed forever.