1 It was a few months after the 9/11 attacks of 2001. Things in life had gone back to normal, as normal as life could be in a small town outside of New York City after so many lives had been lost in a tragic terrorist attack.
2 One Saturday morning Kerry got up a little early. She could hear the radio downstairs, so she followed the sound until she spotted her mother. Something strange was going on, though. Her mother was packing up food, water, and a first aid kit.
3 Kerry panicked. "What are you doing, Mom? What's wrong?" Kerry glanced around. "Where's Dad? What happened?"
4 Kerry's mother quickly reassured her. "Nothing's wrong, honey. Everything's fine. Your father is just fine, too. He went out for a run. It's a lovely fall morning. He'll be back soon."
5 "It was a beautiful day when the Twin Towers were hit, too. What are you doing? You are scaring me," Kerry insisted.
6 "It's just the opposite, Kerry," her mom said. "I'm preparing an emergency kit. I promise you, though, there is no emergency now. Really." She gave Kerry a big hug.
7 "So what are you doing?" Kerry asked.
8 "I'm doing something your father and I should have done a long time ago - even before the 9/11 attacks. I'm packing a supply kit and developing a family plan," Kerry's mom said.
9 "So you think we're going to be attacked again?" Kerry asked.
10 "I certainly hope not," Kerry's mom answered. "Ever since 9/11, a family thinks about another attack a little more, but I believe the government is doing everything it can to keep us safe and sound. The way I look at it, we have planned for everything else, so why not this, too?"
11 "What do you mean?" Kerry asked.
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