Post by Jadien on Sept 6, 2005 20:56:10 GMT -5
[Hey guys, this is an OI (original interp) that I wrote for my forensics class. I have to memorize and have blocking for it by friday. ]
People always remember disasters that involve several deaths, but when you’re one of the many people who lost the person, you can only remember that single life, because you only truly care for them. You can turn on the radio and listen to the thousands of stories that tug at your heartstrings, but you never think that it’ll be your turn to share your own tragic tale.
“We’re not going to drown, are we mommy?” I remember Kara’s words as if they were yesterday, her small fingers coiled around a crayon as she scanned the thin film of water on our kitchen floor. My hand shakes as I remember her face … so innocent.
“Of.. Of course not, Kara. Finish your drawing for daddy.” I had to be strong for her, but it was so hard. I remember listening to all the grim details on the radio the day before that exclaimed “Get out!” and “Fast!” It had been too late. I had no where to go and I couldn’t scare Kara. Perhaps I didn’t understand the full capacity of the disaster until it was too late. “Okay, Mommy.” Kara’s little face curled into a smile as I watched her grip another crayon, this time red and grinned gently as she caked it on the inside of the heart shape she had drawn with the words “I love you,” on top of it. I pushed the silken curtain back gently with my fingers and peered out the paned class window. The water was rising at a rapid place and I knew I’d have to take Kara soon…. As I turned around to grab her and carry her upstairs for a game of dress-up, as I told her, I slipped on the layer of water and hit the ground hard, alerting my daughter to her feet. “Mommy!” She whimpered as she ran to my side and clung to my side. “Are you okay, Mommy? Do I need to call nine one-one?” Thousands of thoughts swarmed through my head, I needed to answer her somehow.. But I couldn’t tell her that nine-one-one wouldn’t be available because of the more tragic deaths and rescues going on through their neighborhood.
As I tried to dissect sentences in my head for the correct words, a gust of wind poured in through the partially open window and blew Kara’s picture onto the ground, bathing it in the filthy water. “Hey!” she called, sloshing through the water towards it. “Stupid wind, that’s daddy’s!” I tried to grip her hand and shout a warning, but as I opened my mouth water poured in and filled my lungs. I couldn’t say anything, nor stop her as she watched the picture slide under the door with the water current, and her opening it to fetch the drawing. A wave of water swept over her and carried her little body God knows where.
I lunged forward and began to swim through the debris that now filled my once lush front yard. There used to be flowers.. And trees.. And apple one. I planted the apple tree when Kara was born, gosh that was six years ago. I remember specifically kicking my legs forward and back, and slapping my arms around. People must have thought I was drowning, but I was searching for Kara’s little body in case she had, how morbid must that sound?
I couldn’t find her when I scoped my yard and my heart began to sink as most of my property did. One specific image will always be imprinted on my mind, and that’s the picture that Kara had been so desperately searching for, floated past me with the current, the crayon smudged on the thin drawing paper. It floated away with such.. Apathy it made me scream. “Kara!” I remember yelling until my voice was raw. I was almost going to give up calling al together until the last time I yelled it, I got a small whimper in return.
She was near, for I heard her soft voice being carried out through the ripping wind. Many of my neighbors who were clinging to the rest of their properties as well watched as I screamed out cries of anger, trying to find my daughter.
And there she was. Her small blonde head was poking out of the water, her arms wrapped around the telephone pole in a big bear hug. “Kara,” is all I could choke out as the salty water burned my raw throat and made me gasp for air. I swam to her and grabbed onto a thick tree trunk about five feet from my daughter. I could see her small face contorted into so much fear, it killed me.
“We’re not going to drown, are we mommy?” My heart dropped as a wave of water sloshed over her, and toppled her small form forward, her hands freeing from the pole. I reached out with all my might and caught hold of her little hand, trying to bring her to me but the current was fighting with me for control of my daughters life. “Mommy, I’m slipping!” Kara screamed as her little hand was losing contact with mine. “No, no you’re not! Hold on, Kara, Hold on!” her little face peered at me with such maturity and understanding…. Her hands were slipping farther and farther until I held only her middle two fingers.
“I love you, mommy….” she cried as the water swept her away and out of my eye sight.
“I love you too… ”[/size]
People always remember disasters that involve several deaths, but when you’re one of the many people who lost the person, you can only remember that single life, because you only truly care for them. You can turn on the radio and listen to the thousands of stories that tug at your heartstrings, but you never think that it’ll be your turn to share your own tragic tale.
“We’re not going to drown, are we mommy?” I remember Kara’s words as if they were yesterday, her small fingers coiled around a crayon as she scanned the thin film of water on our kitchen floor. My hand shakes as I remember her face … so innocent.
“Of.. Of course not, Kara. Finish your drawing for daddy.” I had to be strong for her, but it was so hard. I remember listening to all the grim details on the radio the day before that exclaimed “Get out!” and “Fast!” It had been too late. I had no where to go and I couldn’t scare Kara. Perhaps I didn’t understand the full capacity of the disaster until it was too late. “Okay, Mommy.” Kara’s little face curled into a smile as I watched her grip another crayon, this time red and grinned gently as she caked it on the inside of the heart shape she had drawn with the words “I love you,” on top of it. I pushed the silken curtain back gently with my fingers and peered out the paned class window. The water was rising at a rapid place and I knew I’d have to take Kara soon…. As I turned around to grab her and carry her upstairs for a game of dress-up, as I told her, I slipped on the layer of water and hit the ground hard, alerting my daughter to her feet. “Mommy!” She whimpered as she ran to my side and clung to my side. “Are you okay, Mommy? Do I need to call nine one-one?” Thousands of thoughts swarmed through my head, I needed to answer her somehow.. But I couldn’t tell her that nine-one-one wouldn’t be available because of the more tragic deaths and rescues going on through their neighborhood.
As I tried to dissect sentences in my head for the correct words, a gust of wind poured in through the partially open window and blew Kara’s picture onto the ground, bathing it in the filthy water. “Hey!” she called, sloshing through the water towards it. “Stupid wind, that’s daddy’s!” I tried to grip her hand and shout a warning, but as I opened my mouth water poured in and filled my lungs. I couldn’t say anything, nor stop her as she watched the picture slide under the door with the water current, and her opening it to fetch the drawing. A wave of water swept over her and carried her little body God knows where.
I lunged forward and began to swim through the debris that now filled my once lush front yard. There used to be flowers.. And trees.. And apple one. I planted the apple tree when Kara was born, gosh that was six years ago. I remember specifically kicking my legs forward and back, and slapping my arms around. People must have thought I was drowning, but I was searching for Kara’s little body in case she had, how morbid must that sound?
I couldn’t find her when I scoped my yard and my heart began to sink as most of my property did. One specific image will always be imprinted on my mind, and that’s the picture that Kara had been so desperately searching for, floated past me with the current, the crayon smudged on the thin drawing paper. It floated away with such.. Apathy it made me scream. “Kara!” I remember yelling until my voice was raw. I was almost going to give up calling al together until the last time I yelled it, I got a small whimper in return.
She was near, for I heard her soft voice being carried out through the ripping wind. Many of my neighbors who were clinging to the rest of their properties as well watched as I screamed out cries of anger, trying to find my daughter.
And there she was. Her small blonde head was poking out of the water, her arms wrapped around the telephone pole in a big bear hug. “Kara,” is all I could choke out as the salty water burned my raw throat and made me gasp for air. I swam to her and grabbed onto a thick tree trunk about five feet from my daughter. I could see her small face contorted into so much fear, it killed me.
“We’re not going to drown, are we mommy?” My heart dropped as a wave of water sloshed over her, and toppled her small form forward, her hands freeing from the pole. I reached out with all my might and caught hold of her little hand, trying to bring her to me but the current was fighting with me for control of my daughters life. “Mommy, I’m slipping!” Kara screamed as her little hand was losing contact with mine. “No, no you’re not! Hold on, Kara, Hold on!” her little face peered at me with such maturity and understanding…. Her hands were slipping farther and farther until I held only her middle two fingers.
“I love you, mommy….” she cried as the water swept her away and out of my eye sight.
“I love you too… ”[/size]