Capybara Paranormal

The first significant event I recall is September 11, 2001. It started out as any other day. We lived in Tampa, Florida at the time. My parents were still together; they, my brother, and I all resided together. In an apartment complex called St. James Place. I remember having friends that I got to play with frequently, as they lived in neighboring apartments. We were always “going on adventures” and playing in the Laundromat and the bushes around the corner from our unit.

It being September in Florida the morning air had just started having a chill to it. The grass waking up to a morning dew. We got up and ready for school, and headed off to the front gate like every morning where the school buses would pick up all the kids for their respective schools. My mother, brother and I would walk as we were close enough to the front of the complex.

The morning at school started out like every morning, we all arrived before the first bell range, and gathered on the front lawn around the flag pole.  As it was getting frosty, someone inevitably tried to stick their tongue to it. Most of the time it didn’t work. The bell would ring and we’d all line up in our classes to be met by our teachers. Tampa Palms elementary was a good school. I enjoyed my time there.

We get to class and get settled in, kids are finishing some of their breakfast still and the teacher is getting the stuff out for her lesson plan for the day. Class begins as usual. I don’t remember getting to the first recess before the principal comes in and whispers to our teacher. Then we go outside and when we come back in we’ve got coloring pages on our tables and an instruction to color quietly. All the while all the teachers and aids are silently watching the classroom televisions.

My mother tells me she was at the store when it happened. Walking through Target to grab a few things before heading home. The news was playing on their televisions. She said to herself, “Well, that’s a stupid show.” Then, a news anchor she recognized came on the screen, and my mother’s heart dropped. So she finished up her shopping and raced home. Just in time to find my father packing his duffel, as he had been called to duty.