A/N: Hey everyone. This is my first entry. After the successes (and failures) of my stories posted in FanFiction, I decided to make an account here. So here it is.
This is an entry for a short story writing contest. I’m posting it as it was submitted. It felt a little rushed but nevertheless, I feel proud of my work. Here goes. Comments are highly appreciated.
THE POLICEMAN’S DAUGHTER
By MakoMitsuki
IF THERE WAS ONE PERSON I COULD NEVER FORGET IN MY WHOLE ENTIRE LIFE, IT WOULD BE MY FATHER. A father contributes such a unique and special ingredient in a child's life. It is a strange thing – what fathers can do to their daughters – but it is perhaps the most universal and profound kind of love, something that only a few people get to experience. And I, for one, am really glad to be one of those few to be blest with such a wonderful father. In my life, my father became my confidant, my teacher, and my best friend. My dad is always quiet and understanding where others would have lost their temper. My spirit and love of life was derived from his modeling and great wisdom. I feel incredibly blessed to have had such a wonderful father. My heart is always warm and my face can never repress a smile whenever I am with him.
My mother died from a heart attack when I was very young, leaving father to take care of me all by his own. And because of that, it's never been one special thing that my father has done but all the special things he has gone out of his way to do.
My father works as a police officer in the coastal town of Asplain. Although our town is not mentioned in most maps, it has kept a reputation for holding some of the most corrupt criminals in our area. Cases like robbery and holdapping were very prevalent. I could tell whenever I would peek at the newspaper my dad would read every morning and I always get to see headlines like Merchant Shot Dead or Shoplifters Caught in the Act or Five-Year Old Gone Missing printed in flashy bold letters across the paperback. This didn’t make things any easier for him. He has worked days on end in dirty dead end missions just to put food on the table. I'm sure there were times when he went risking his life just to feed me, to provide for my needs, and for my future. But I wasn’t scared. I knew my dad. He is brave and strong and knows how to handle sticky situations properly. I am very aware that my father is a very capable officer, seeing how he could tackle all those men back at the training camp with ease and can handle a rifle gun at target practice. He is quick witted and he always acted fast. The way he moved from one place to another like a bullet. He was also very keen and observant. I knew that because he would have an answer to everything. Be it a robbery case in the local bank or the case of a missing person, my dad would be the person you could rely on. He was a very smart man. To top it all off, my Father was brave and had the nerves like steel. And because of that, Asplain became a much safer place to be now. He won an award from the city mayor. And not long after, he was promoted to the position of Captain.
Because of that, I had an ambition. And that was to become a crime fighter like Dad. Someday, I'd like to go on missions, arrest evil-doers, maintain the peace and order in the community and save lives just like him.
My father, of course, supported me in this endeavor. In fact, he was pretty ecstatic when I told him. The following morning; I spent the whole day with him on duty. He toured me around his station. He showed me what a rifle looks like. He taught me the basics of self-defense. Every day, he taught me advice on how to become a good officer. I learned so much from Father, and I could tell, because every time I did something good, he’d always tell me, “Miya, I’m so proud of you.”
The days went by and Father was becoming better and better at work. It all went along smoothly until one day, Father came home from work. But to my surprise, he came back home limping. He had scars and bruises all over. I was completely terrified by the sight. He told me that he just went to stop a criminal and got away safely. I was relieved of that. But if anything like that ever happens to him, I would stop him by all means. I couldn’t bear to see him get hurt.
…
One evening, the phone in the living room rang. I was seven year old back then as my little stubby legs ran across the room. I climbed up a nearby chair, stood on my tiptoes and picked up the telephone on the nightstand.
“Hello?” I whispered through the microphone, my voice quivering a little.
Before I could say another word, the man on the other end of the line said in an urgent tone, “Good evening, Madam. This is Lieutenant Inoue speaking. Please pass the line to Captain Collins. I need to talk to him immediately.”
I felt a sudden chill as he mentioned father’s name. “Why do you need my father, Mister?” I asked him hesitantly.
“This is an emergency, Madam. If you would be just kind enough to let me speak to him as soon as possible…”
“What is the matter, Miya?” I heard a voice said behind me. Father stood by the doorway and when he saw me holding the phone, his face fell. He must have seen the scared look in my eyes and it must have given him the strangest feeling that he didn’t want to know what I was so worried about.
I handed him the receiver slowly. “Captain Collins here,” he said in a professional way through the receiver. I watched father from the side as he listened closely. I could not hear what they were talking about except for some buzzing coming from the phone. But I could see the look on Father’s face. His forehead creased into a look of extreme concentration. Then after a few moments, his eyes popped up.
I flinched. I knew what that look meant.
With one last breath, he composed himself again. “Copy that. I’ll be on my way,” he said before putting down the phone.
The room went silent for a few moments. There was this tension in the air. I tried to open my mouth to say something, but my lips went dry and I ran out of words to say. So I waited.
Before long, Father spoke up.
“Miya, I have to go,” Father whispered to me.
“Where are you going, Daddy?” I asked him worriedly.
“Daddy has something to do, darling,” he whispered gently and reassuringly. His lips curled into a smile. But it wasn’t like the smile I used to know. Somewhere down there, I feel that he was hiding something.
I finally confronted him. “Daddy, don’t tell me you’re going to another mission again,” I quivered, my voice shaking a little.
He held my hand and squeezed it real tight. “It’ll just be for a while, dear. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. I promise…”
“…But what if you get hurt just like last time? Daddy, don’t go. Please stay at home with me. You’d be much safer here with me,” I cried, hugging onto my father. I fought the urge to burst into tears.
He simply kissed my forehead and hugged me back. Then I stopped responding now and started crying. I wonder why. I used to believe in him, trust in him, and think that everything would turn out fine in the end. But now, I just felt hopeless…
He let go of me and it was at that moment I felt the world around me shatter into a thousand pieces. My mind went completely blank. All I could see was a white space as clean and fresh as a new whiteboard. Everything disappeared into complete nothingness, no emotion, no space around me. The only thing I could feel were my heart beats, slowly rising and thumping harder and harder. Then, realization dawned and everything around me started moving again. He had gone already.
I can feel my heart pumping nervously and my hands shaking tensely. And as if my body had a mind of its own, I started running towards the door completely out of impulse. I skidded down the porch and pushed my little legs faster as I made a run for it. I just ran and ran into the darkness with no sense of direction. I just moved forward, not caring if I tripped and scrapped my knee a couple of times along the pavement. I needed to bring Father back. I wanted him to stay with me. I wanted him to be safe.
After running quite some distance, I heard a gunshot from a distance. I turned to the direction to where it came from. Then the old Asplain pier came to view. Dad must be over there, I mused to myself as I started heading towards the direction of the docks. And sure enough, response cars, barricades, and hordes of people swarmed all over the place. They all stood by an old abandoned warehouse over by the side of the pier.
I scanned the crowd of neighbors, reporters and unknown people frantically, trying not to get intimidated by this surreal atmosphere. I saw Officer Parker, a friend of Father who was also in the squad. I started a light jog towards him, seeing that I was tired from all the running I did earlier.
“Where is Daddy?” I asked him breathlessly. When Officer Parker heard me, he jumped in surprise. “Miya! What on earth are you doing here,” he cried. “I thought Harold left you at home.”
“I need to know where Father is,” I said firmly with resolve. “I need to know that he is safe.”
I looked back to the warehouse. I felt an uncomfortable feeling welling up inside me.
Officer Parker held his palms over his face and let out an exasperated sigh. “Miya, I’ll send you home now. This is none of your business. I am sure that wherever your father is, he’s doing fine…”
“How sure are you, Mister?” I interrupted, my voice wobbling until it became high pitched and wailing. “Don’t tell me Daddy’s the one in that warehouse getting killed…”
He didn’t respond. He just stared at me profoundly. Right then and there, I knew the answer. Suddenly the tears started flowing down my cheeks.
I don’t want Father to die. Not today.
Whatever I do, I have to stay calm. I had to tell myself not to get intimidated by the hordes of people. I tried not to get intimidated, as I just pushed my way through them, not caring even if Officer Parker was screaming at me not to come closer to the crime scene. I am very aware that there is danger right in front of me. But that didn't stop me.
I broke into the doors of the old abandoned warehouse. I stepped inside the dark dismal place and started looking desperately for my father.
The old dilapidated warehouse encased me as I stepped onto the cracked linoleum. I can’t help but to look around. Dim and dusty, hard cold concrete floors, elongated shadows from long-forgotten crates: it sent chills down my spine. There was hollow air flowing through. It was as if I walked into those scary-looking TV shows I didn’t even dare watching. I was starting to regret coming in. I was getting very scared.
The distinctive odor of rats and rusty nails filled the room as I stepped, ever so cautiously, to the other end, where I saw a shadow. I inched closer, trying to get a closer look, and I saw a silhouette of a man. I could not recognize the man in this blinding darkness, though. I inched even closer this time in an attempt to make out the man's features.
It was a middle-aged man with a round body, thick forearms and narrow stooped shoulders.
Instantly, I let out a little squeal. "Daddy," I cried as I ran towards him, arms out wide to give him that warm hug that I have always wanted to give him...
Suddenly, I felt arms grappling me. It cinched my narrow throat hard enough to stop my breathing. I felt a surge of fear and nervousness as those pair of arms swept me off my feet and hoisted me gingerly onto broad shoulders. Then that was the time that I realized that the figure I saw earlier wasn't my Dad's.
It was that of the criminal.
I tried to squirm away with all my might, but the grasp was too tight around me. I screamed for help. "Daddy! Daddy! Where are you, Daddy? Help me! Da- mmmph..."
Asking for help became inevitable now as the criminal caught my hand and tied a rope around it. He covered my mouth with one arm so as the only sounds that came off my mouth now were muffling. I kicked harder to break free, but it was no use. I was losing my stamina. I was losing all hope.
But just as I was about to give up, I heard footsteps from behind. And then I saw him.
"Let go of my daughter, Salinsky."
Daddy! I muffled through the ropes. I knew he would come to save me. I knew it.
"Why should I?" Salinsky hissed through his tobacco-stained teeth.
"Because," father said calmly. "It's a crime to take what is not yours."
Salinsky's face wrinkled in a sarcastic one, "It's a crime to take what is not yours... Bleh. Crime my face. I can take whatever I want. Just like how you no-good bastards took away my freedom." He glared at father, and for some reason, it made me feel so uncomfortable.
But that didn't seem to bother him.
"We didn't take away your freedom, Salinsky. We gave you what you deserved," Father reasoned. "You killed your own daughter because of your own selfish deeds. And because of that, you needed to pay the price..."
With one step, Salinsky lunged and straddled Father, pinning him to the ground, pummeling him. Father rolled from side to side so as not to receive any hard blows.
"What intarnations are you talking about?" Salinsky, reddened with anger, screamed at Father's face. "She DISRESPECTED me! She disrespected me, her own father! Do you understand me? You are a father, too, am I not right? Now how does it feel that child-" he pointed a wary hand to me-" doesn't appreciate what you have done for her? When she doesn't understand all the sufferings that you had gone through just to give her food each day? When she doesn't show even the slightest hint of gratitude that you have sacrificed your whole damned life just for HER? Do you understand me, officer?"
Salinsky then grabbed Father by his uniform's collar and picked him up. He drew him closer and made himself clear. "DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!?"
Father did not flinch. His shallow breathing was tense, but he had a calm exterior. He just looked at the criminal straight in the eye.
Salinsky, filled with rage, grabbed my father and threw a punch into Father's face. They wrestled brutally, and with each stroke, a man gets knocked down.
I watched my father strike the criminal and Salinsky would throw a killer punch in return. I watched helplessly at the sides, with my arms held together by these ropes. I fidgeted as I saw Father being thrown down, punched, and getting killed. He was bleeding so much now and there was so much scars in his face. A tear rolled down my cheek. He was doing this all for me.
The fight went on and on. It seemed endless, and it was hard to tell who was winning or not.
...
I had to do something to stop this.
I scanned the area for something that could help me. And wedged in the middle of two crates was a rusty old knife. I squirmed closer to it and tried desperately to reach it. When I finally grabbed hold of the knife, I tried laboriously, with my hands still bound, to cut through the ropes. It took a long while until finally, I was loose.
My father, now smeared with dirt and blood all over, said something indistinct. I wasn’t able to hear it, my thoughts overpowering the sound. All I recognize was something dropping from Salinski. It skidded across the floor and right in front of me. As I recognized what it was, I felt reluctant to do what I was supposed to do.
I picked up the gun from the floor and held it with my two hands. I positioned my index finger slowly to the trigger. My hands were shaking. All of me was shaking.
I pulled the trigger.
Bang.
...
After that moment, my whole world suddenly collapsed. I didn't feel the gun in my hand. I didn't hear the thud. Neither did I see the back-up, who came seconds too late, rushing into action. I didn't even bother to be relieved when they took Salinsky into the punishment he really deserved. I'd lost sense of everything: the abandoned warehouse, the police, the people, Officer Parker, everything.
The only thing that made sense to me is the fact that I was not moving anymore. I thought my heart stopped beating.
My eyes locked on to where the bullet hit.
I was heaving every last bit of resentment out of me. I lay motionless on the marble floor. I was weak. I was helpless. I was covered with bruises and scars. My voice was choked up by sobbing and any word that would come out of my mouth would just turn into a faint whimper. All I can do is cry with my bloodshot eyes.
It hit my Father.
...
If only I could find the strength to take another deep breath. If I could, then I'd scream to the heavens to give me justice, to take me now and as soon as possible. Because it's funny how life throws you into all sorts of different situations you aren't prepared for. We are all like hopeless players in life's tormenting game. Sometimes, I feel like screaming, "Hey life, give me a break will you?" But unfortunately, life doesn't listen. And worst of all, you would end up making a fool of yourself.
Well, I cannot say that I speak for all, but for most of my life, I have carried pain and suffering, often a result of wishful thinking, especially when I fail to obtain what you aspire to achieve. This constant fear of choosing between what is right and what is not: it's placing me in a cage and preventing me from setting my own soul free and to the life I had always wanted.
I was never able to express to him my immense gratitude for all the things that he had done for me. He had taught me so much and for all the times in which he would say that he'd always be there for me. But now that he had gone, how am I supposed to show gratitude to him? And how would he forgive me now that I have (even if it was unintentional) killed him?
Giving up my ambition to be a crime fighter seemed like the only resolve left. After all, if I can't save my own father, how could I save others?
...
Like life and its moments, it chose to destroy me and it was because of that fateful day, my life changed forever. But I wonder why, by a sudden turn of events, it chose to redeem me in a way I never expected.
Years had already passed after the tragedy happened. I was eighteen now, and I grew up to become a lovely and bright young lady. Officer Parker had volunteered to take me in with his family. And his wife, Aunt Catherine, had consented. And until then, I worked at the local day care center until I can afford my own house and live independently.
I woke up early one morning. Spring had finally come. The sun was shining brightly this day and the cherry blossom trees were in bloom. But still, it didn’t change my perspective of this world. I would wake up and go to work and live in this misery once again. I shook that thought aside as I got dressed. I pinned on my name tag, which read HI, I'M MIYA, on the breast pocket of my pink button-up shirt. I picked up the car keys to Uncle Parker's Audi on the nightstand and headed downstairs.
Aunt Cathy was in the kitchen, setting plates on the dining table. Her five year-old son, Kai, sat on one end of the table downing the last piece of sweet pancake left on his plate.
"Miya, dear. Aren't you going to eat breakfast?" She called from the kitchen.
"I'm kind of in a rush now, Auntie."
"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, you know."
"Could you tell Kai to hurry it up a little?"
"Miya, are you even listening."
"Mm-hmm. Yeah, I am."
"Are you sure?"
"Mm-hmm."
I picked up a toast from the serving plate and stuffed it all in my mouth as I located my jacket.
Aunt Cathy watched me with a frown. "You know, you don't look particularly happy today. You sure you want to go to work today?"
"Of coursh. Why'gh you shay chat?" I mumbled with a mouthful of food.
"Just asking," she shrugged. "It doesn't seem like this is the right job for you."
I swallowed the toast with a forceful gulp. I looked at Aunt Cathy hysterically. "I love kids, and the kids love me, and that's all there is to it. Why do you suddenly doubt my skills, Auntie?"
"I do not doubt your skills. I just want to say that-" she paused for a long moment before she continued "-that I think you'd be better off as a policeman. You know, out there at the crime scene, fighting bad guys, you know... Just like your father."
I stopped on my tracks for a brief moment. Just like your father…
"Come on, Kiddo, let's go. We don't want to be late right?" I finally said.
Kai stepped down the dining chair and picked up his knapsack. I ushered him to the car and buckled him in. I took my own place in the driver's seat and plugged in the key. I looked over at the porch. Aunt Cathy waved back at us.
'Don't forget to be home before eight," she called out.
"Will do," I called back as we slow rolled our way into the pavement and headed to work.
The Shepherd’s Flock Day Care Center was packed with kids that day. The moment I entered the door with Kai on tow, they immediately stood up from their mats and swarmed all over me. Their toothless grins greeted me good morning, and I knew I was home. We started the day with our usual routine which is a song-and-dance routine. The rest of the day gone by with more songs, games, storytelling and snacks.
By the time afternoon rolled out, I said my goodbyes to the children. They scrambled to the doors where their parents were waiting for them. I let out a sigh as I noticed a little girl with chubby cheeks named Rin run to her father with arms open wide. His father welcomed her into his arms and carried her. They were laughing and smiling and having a great time. As I watched them, I felt this strange and sentimental feeling inside of me.
I shook that thought away. I turned back to Kai, who was still busy playing with his toy Ferrari in the hall.
"Kai, can you wait for me here? I'll just get my things," I said to him. He did not respond. He was too distracted. But I assumed that he had heard me and went to the staff room to pick up my sling bag.
I did so and went back to the hall to pick up Kai. "Kiddo, it's time to go," I beckoned. But to my surprise, no one responded. And to top it all off, the hall was empty.
"Kiddo? Where are you? Kai?"
There was no response.
I felt a churning feeling inside of me. I rushed out the doors in fear and stepped out into the parking lot, where beside my Red Audi parked a peculiar vehicle in a form of a Volkswagen.
From the back of the van, I saw a familiar figure thumping the glass incisively.
Kai!
The engine of the Volkswagen started humming and it was coughing black smoke from behind. I felt a surge of panic as the Volkswagen started moving and ran away, taking Kai with it.
I fished for my cell phone in my bag and dialed Officer Parker.
"Hello, Officer Parker. It's me, Miya. There's an emergency over here at the Day Care Center. Someone has kidnapped Kai," I said all at once.
"Wait. What? My son? What did they do? How? Why?" He stuttered over the phone in disbelief.
I don't know. It happened so fast. This happened and that happened and the next thing I knew, this... thing had Kai at the back of the van," I explained.
I heard Officer Parker sigh over the phone.
"Where are they now?"
"I don't know. But they just left so I think they didn't go that far yet."
"You're still there at Uptown, right?"
"Yes."
"I don't know if I can make it in time..."
"Sure you can. If you just take the Cruiser with you then you can catch them before..."
"I can't. Deputy Cruz took it for patrol. There are no other vehicles in the vicinity, not unless you want me to catch them with a bicycle."
"Then what do we do? Can't you find some other way?"
He was silent for a long moment.
...
"Why don't you go?" He finally said.
My mouth hung open in disbelief. "Who? ME?!"
"Yes, you. You can still catch the vehicle if you used my Audi. I've upgraded it for this purpose just over a month ago. You brought it with you to work, right? Okay, listen. Just make sure you learn how to control the grip of the wheel. Seventy miles-per-hour's acceptable. But if that's not enough, you can always..."
"Wait. Wait. Wait! Are you expecting me to go after them?"
"It's our only chance. Back-up doesn't come until a few minutes and we need to act fast if we want to save my son."
"That's not what I meant!" I exclaimed. "I can't possibly catch them on time! And when I do catch them, then what do I do? I'd probably just screw up and make things more complicated than it already is. Just like what happened nine years ago when..."
My voice suddenly trailed off. Afterwards, I didn't know what to say. My lips ran dry and my mouth hung low. It was as if I had the wind knock me over and it took my voice with it.
"Listen Miya," Officer Parker said softly. "What happened nine years ago was a thing of the past. Sure, it didn't turn out the way we had wanted it to end, but..."
"Go on ahead," I interrupted him, my voice rising higher and higher. "Tell me I am a horrible person for killing my own Father! Remind me what wrong I did! Go! What are you waiting for? Tell it to me! The least bit I could do was save Father, thank him for everything he had done for me. Show him that I could be what he wanted me to be! To be a good policeman like he was! To fight crime! To punish evil-doers! TO SAVE LIVES! But what did I do? I just had to go inside that blasted warehouse, give him another problem by letting myself be held captive and then finally the grand finale by making that damned mistake of shooting him straight through the heart when I should be saving his life! I am supposed to owe to him my own life. But I killed him. I killed him with my own hands! Isn't that enough to make you sick? I don't deserve to be a policeman and I never will."
Tears started rolling down my cheek.
"Miya," he said through the receiver. "I'm sure that wherever your Father is, he forgives you. You were a child back then and didn't know better. I understand, because how would you have known how to handle a gun at that age? You did that to save your father and even though... stuff happened, that is enough reason for you to be forgiven. I think you have to first be able to forgive yourself. By this I mean that if you feel guilty about something, you have to be able to accept that you made a mistake, but you also have to then carry on and move forward. If you cannot forgive yourself, you will constantly be berate yourself and you won’t be able to leave the past behind."
"And one more thing," he finally said. “I think you’ll make a great policeman."
"Now go, we don't have much time."
"Roger that," I said before heading to the Audi. I revved up the engine and chased after the vehicle.
I cruised along the streets to look for the Volkswagen. After a few turns, I was able to locate the van speeding on the highway. I pushed the accelerator as I tried to get closer. Through my windshield, I can see Kai sticking his nose through the window, screaming for help.
Dring. Dring.
"Hello?" I said as I picked up my phone.
"Tell me your exact coordinates," Officer Parker said all of a sudden.
"Huh?"
"I mean, where are you right now? Sorry 'bout that. I got so used to that."
"Oh. I'm on the super highway at around kilometer one-two-seven. I'm at their tail," I replied. And I was surprised the moment I said those words. I sounded like a real police man.
"Good. Now try to drive them towards the South Station exit. We have set up spikestrips on that turn and just in case you fail to divert them, we've got some support setting up road blocks at the Diversion road."
I tried to absorb what he had said for a moment, but nothing seemed to click.
"Whatever you do, do not let them escape. Do you copy?"
"G-Got that," I said, not really sure.
"We're counting on you Miya," he said before he hung up.
I grasped on the steering wheel firmly, keeping my eye on the van ahead of me. I tried to think of a possible way to divert them, as Officer Parker had said.
I kept moving. The guy hits us with his car, square in our driver's door. I turned the car to the right and it was sent veering across the highway. I was in hot pursuit. I don't know how far a car travels in a few seconds at 55 miles per hour. It's either pretty far or I was doing at least 70. But as long as the old wagon had Kai, I was willing to take the risks.
Those wide red taillights kept getting smaller. I was certain I could gain ground at the curve, but their reaction time put them squarely in my path as I exited the turn. I'm sure the front bumper scraped the pavement as the nose of that Volkswagen dropped under lockup braking conditions. I'm getting back to speed like an F-14 on a catapult. Through a few curves and a 35 MPH speed zone, almost within reach.
I'm drafting the van like Earnhardt, flashing lights and honking. We're within sight of the road block. I'm going to lose if the Volkswagen makes a turn to that empty exit.
The glove compartment popped open. A shotgun was in there.
Desperation move time. I crossed my fingers as I moved closer to the Volkswagen. The gun was in my right hand. I positioned the gun at eye level and aimed for the wheel. Hopefully, when I hit the wheel, I could slow down the Volkswagen.
Will I be able to hit it this time?
I ceased all ridiculousness and pull it off. I closed my eyes as I pulled the trigger.
…
Did I save Kai? I took one glance behind me and saw Kai rushing out the van, running into Officer Parker’s hands. My lips curled into a tiny smile.
I was able to do it. Despite how much I didn’t believe myself, I was able to do it. Officer Parker was right all along. Aunt Cathy was right all along. Father was right all along. I could make a good policeman, just like Father.
In an instant, I didn’t realize that my foot was stuck at the accelerator. The car kept on moving straight to a wall. My heart went pounding.
There was a sickening thud, a screeching neigh, the slip of hands, my vision fading quickly, and a crashing sound. My pace slowed until a halt, my right hand moving up slowly to rest above his heart, feeling its beat as it's pace quickened unexplainably. Yet above it all, one thing remained clear above all else; a final scream that rose above the din of it all:
"Miya, I’m so proud of you."
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