4.
Thirteen years ago.

My little sister, Tina, was down in LA with friends. I was stuck at home because I had a
competition next weekend.

Mom said, You’re used to things revolving around your schedule, Bianca. Maybe it’s
time you weren’t the center of attention.

I hated her so much.

Mom and Dad were watching the Academy Awards when the bomb went off. I was
doing homework. I had to train at the rink every afternoon so I only went to regular
school until lunchtime and did the rest of my classes by correspondence.

Mom called Tina on the cell phone they got her just for the trip and she said she was
okay, she was in a car with her friend Laila and Laila’s parents and as soon as the traffic
cleared they were going to drive up to San Francisco and get a plane home from there.

Tina called later, when everyone was choking and she was having trouble, too, and Mom
kept saying, baby, I’m here, baby, it’s going to be all right.

*

The guy in the hazmat suit that they interviewed on TV said that all the time they were
checking cars, they kept hearing cell phones ringing. Lines of cars pulled every which
way on the freeway with spray paint on the windshields saying that they were checked
and how many dead were in them. Phones ringing and ringing, saying, pick up, please
pick up, please. I called her, even after Mom and Dad stopped I snuck into my room and
called and called.

5 -> the missing direction

4.
Thirteen years ago.

My little sister, Tina, was down in LA with friends. I was stuck at home because I had a
competition next weekend.

Mom said, You’re used to things revolving around your schedule, Bianca. Maybe it’s
time you weren’t the center of attention.

I hated her so much.

Mom and Dad were watching the Academy Awards when the bomb went off. I was
doing homework. I had to train at the rink every afternoon so I only went to regular
school until lunchtime and did the rest of my classes by correspondence.

Mom called Tina on the cell phone they got her just for the trip and she said she was
okay, she was in a car with her friend Laila and Laila’s parents and as soon as the traffic
cleared they were going to drive up to San Francisco and get a plane home from there.

Tina called later, when everyone was choking and she was having trouble, too, and Mom
kept saying, baby, I’m here, baby, it’s going to be all right.

*

The guy in the hazmat suit that they interviewed on TV said that all the time they were
checking cars, they kept hearing cell phones ringing. Lines of cars pulled every which
way on the freeway with spray paint on the windshields saying that they were checked
and how many dead were in them. Phones ringing and ringing, saying, pick up, please
pick up, please. I called her, even after Mom and Dad stopped I snuck into my room and
called and called.

5 -> the missing direction