A licence to kill?

All the characters and situations in this story are purely fictional. Any resemblance to anyone or anything would be considered as purely coincidental.

It was that day that ll remain famous in the world forages to come. Joan had just prepared the lunch for her husband and he was about to go to the office. Joan won’t go. She is on maternity leave and she is expecting the baby anytime now. Joan and her husband Ted have been married for 2 years now after a courtship of 7 years. They were lovers since high school. Till now their family has been completed by the little Jamal, the next door kid, who used to spend most of his time in their apartment. Used to. But now Joan was progressively becoming possessive about her own child. She has been growing possessive about her little family, she ted and the new kid. But she likes it or not, Jamal still is important to ted and she can’t change that. She has made cheese sandwiches today. While on breakfast table she tells Ted not to go today. When she dismisses her by saying that he needs to work she says “I think today is the day”. “Usually other mothers say that with shrieks due to labor. Come on Joan you know that I need to work” he said. “Fine. I don’t want you to go. I just want you to be here. I just don’t feel like letting you go today”. “Joan,” interjected Jamal “Let him go. You know he works in that huge towers and they pay him so much. They would certainly be annoyed if he doesn’t show up at work. He can only take off if that building comes down.” “You see even he seems to understand, don’t worry honey, I ll be back early.”

And there goes Ted to his job. Who knew he would never come back. Its 9/11 and there is a terrorist attack right on the building where ted works. The building came down. Joan heard the news on TV. This is the end of her world. She is shattered. There is knocks on the door. “JOAN” “JOAN” “Open the door” she answers the door. “Mom called and told me to get over here and stay here. She says people may attack our apartment for the terrorists were Muslims.” It was Jamal. She let him in and she went into her bedroom. She was not able to hold her tears but she was not crying. As the TV news went on about terrorists being Muslims and about attacks on Muslims for their support to these people, her anger grew. She thought of the child sitting outside in front of TV. She thought about her husband, his smile, how he loved that kid, and what his people had done to him. She saw the cross on thewall and saw Jesus suffering and she could not hold herself. She went outside with the apple knife in her hand and slit the child’s throat and cried.

Did she do right? Should someone understand her? Has she got a licence to kill? Even if not can someone analyze her emotions? Can someone say why what happened is wrong?