The Unwanted Son, The Unwanted Mother

ed on a Tuesd

ping him build a skyscraper out of brightly colored b

the skyscraper we' d spent an hour on tre

, looked at me with wide

what w

entire apartment building screamed. The walls groane

lling him under his small, sturdy wooden desk. I

into his hair, my voice shakin

id lie, and w

rtured screech of metal, the deep, guttural crunch of concrete giving way. Dust

n heart hammering against my ribs. The desk above us groaned under an im

le

that was somehow louder

re tr

feel the immense weight of our home now resting just inches above my back. D

was a small, terrifi

my own panic from seeping into my tone. "We're just pl

remble against mine. "I

e just have to be brave and w

gs were wedged awkwardly, and a sharp pain shot through my right s

he rubble around us. I talked to him, told him stories about superheroes and bra

while, h

red, his voice thi

me, colder than the concr

leg,

one. It's

his leg down until my hand stopped. It was pinned, trapped beneath a heavy concrete beam that had crashed through the

re. I'll get it out," I

g in shallow gasps n

carefully constructed calm. He was seriously hurt. He

ed by the tons of debris. "IS ANYONE

voice was nothing but a hoarse whisper. The on

d Leo, whispering apologies he couldn't understand, my tears mixing with the dust