Day Off - an introduction to me

Ok so most people use their first blog to explain a little about themselves or something cool like that. Well I personally love to write so I'm going to share with you a short story I had to write for my Creative Writing Class. Hope you all enjoy it


Day Off


Even the most catastrophic days start out just like any other. They start out with no inclination, hint, clue, or small allusion to the fact that everything is about to be turned upside down. One such story is that of Todd Baker, Middleton County Police Officer.

It was Tuesday morning and all was wonderful in the little suburban neighborhood where Todd lived. The light from the sun had just breached the natural wall created by the nearby mountain chain flooding the valley with its radiance. Birds chirped happily from the small, neatly trimmed hedges having just caught their morning meals. Sparkling morning dew clung to blades of green grass causing them to bend over from the added weight. A soft breeze was blowing in through the screened windows causing the curtains to flutter lazily at its gentle pushes. With it, the breeze carried the soft aroma of garden flowers and moist dirt into the house.

The serenity of this scene was shattered instantly as Todd’s police radio squawked to life. Todd drowsily rolled over and listened to the dispatcher give a summary about a noise complaint at some house somewhere downtown. He yawned and stretched before superficially rubbing his eyes to get out any eye goop that might have gather there while he slumbered. It was his one day off for a month or so and unless something major went down he wasn’t going to worry about it. Todd sat up and dropped his feet down over the edge of the bed and into his house slippers. Still yawning he lumbered down the hallway and into the kitchen to scare up something to eat.
As he walked into the kitchen, he was greeted by the fragrant smell of cinnamon cappuccino flavored coffee that his coffee pot had brewed earlier that morning when its automatic timer went off. Todd grabbed a coffee mug from the dish drying rack and poured himself a large steaming cup of the coffee which he sipped gingerly so as not to burn his tongue. Turning on the television for background noise he began to rummage through the fridge and cupboards to find what he wanted for breakfast.

Before long the kitchen was filled with good smells of a wonderful breakfast being cooked. In one pan bacon was sizzling away, filling the air with its unique scent, and occasionally ‘popping’ its grease out of the pan. In another Todd had some onions and peppers sautéing so that they could be put into an omelet. Behind him on the other counter Todd had the toaster toasting a bagel to be topped with cream cheese and served along side his bacon and eggs. He stirred the vegetables deftly by picking up the pan and flicking his wrist causing them to fly out of the pan momentarily before landing back in it. When the smell of the vegetables filled the kitchen, deeming them thoroughly sautéed, he added an egg bath to the pan to start his omelet. Not but a few moments later, Todd took the omelet off the heat, slid it onto his plate, fished the bacon out of its pan to join the omelet, spread the cream cheese on his bagel, and finally sat down to eat.

From where Todd sat at his dining room table, he could gaze out the giant picture window at the street. He watched the cars drive by, the joggers amble by on their morning run, and the paper boy toss the morning paper at houses as he pedaled along his route. When he finished eating he carried the empty plate and cup into the kitchen. The television continued to ramble as Todd cleaned up from the mess his breakfast had left. This job was soon interrupted when his police radio once again came to life with noise. The morning tones were being broadcast as part of the daily check.

Somewhat annoyed with the radio Todd walked back to his bedroom to shut it off when the dispatchers voice once again issued forth from its speaker. This time she was reporting a robbery that happened on the other side of town. Todd was about to turn it off when he heard the address. He froze with his hand hovering inches above the volume/power control. The address belonged to his best friend from college Joe. The dispatcher had reported that no one was injured during the robbery, but Todd figured it’d be best to head over and check in with him anyway. Todd went and got dressed, grabbed his badge just in case, and headed to the car to drive over.

When he got on the road Todd turned on the car’s scanner just in case any more information was broadcast while he was in transit. After ten minutes of nerve racking silence where the only noise was the hum of the tires of the car against the road and the distant purr of the engine, the scanner crackled and light up, and the little box played dispatch tones for an ambulance. Todd turned up the volume and listened closely for what the dispatcher would have to say. Mere seconds after the tones the dispatcher started giving details.

Todd couldn’t hear all of what she was saying, but he was able to gather the situation. A Jane Doe had been found in the woods, shot dead, estimated to be dead for close to 25 hours previous to being found. Cause of death was decreed to be shooting, most likely by a 20 gauge shotgun. Todd shook his head, what a mess, he thought, glad it was his day off. He pulled into Joe’s driveway and noticed that Joe’s jeep was gone. Todd found this odd but figured the police had taken him downtown for further questioning and maybe a description for a sketch of the alleged culprit. He waited with a bad feeling gathering deep within his gut. After twenty minutes passed Todd got out his cell and called Joe.

“Hello, this is Joe,” came the answer after the rings had ended.

“Hey Joe, it’s Todd,” he replied, relieved that he had gotten a hold of Joe.

“Hey buddy. How’s work going for you?”

“Today’s my day off, but I heard about robbery so I thought I might stop in and see if I can’t help but you‘re not home yet.” Todd explained.

“I’ll be there in about 5 minutes. I had to go downtown, you know the routine stuff. However if I could get your help it’d be a life saver. No offense, but half the guys on the force nowadays seem incompetent, and I doubt their going to catch the robber or get back what was stolen.” Joe said sarcastically, trying to lighten the mood.

“Well when you get home I‘ll see what I can do, not like there was much for them to take.” Todd responded sarcastically. In reality Joe was well to do and had plenty that the local thieves wouldn’t mind taking off of his hands.

“Alright, I’ll talk to you then. See ya.” Joe replied in a finite tone.

Todd laughed and hung up a little more relieved than he had been. Within minutes Joe’s jeep pulled into the driveway, uncharacteristically muddy, Joe normally kept his jeep sparkling clean. Todd got out of his car and followed Joe into his house. Being a cop Todd was observing the scene from the beginning and oddly enough there was no sign of forced entry anywhere as Joe showed him around and pointed out everything that was taken. Finally Joe mentioned the fact that the one thing he really wanted back was the shotgun his grandfather had given him a while back that was always under lock and key, motioning to a giant mahogany cupboard. Todd didn’t spare the cupboard much of a glance but it looked fine to him from where he was standing.

The bad feeling in his gut was growing worse by the minute, almost to the point where he felt physically sick. Joe noticed that Todd was looking a little under the weather and offered to go heat up some coffee or get him some Advil. Todd graciously accepted the offer and waited for Joes to head back downstairs. Immediately he headed over to the cupboard and inspected it a little closer. There was no way it had been broken into. It was fashioned with one of those old locks that if it was picked, it’d never lock again. The lock still worked perfectly.

Realization dawned on Todd in one of those crystallizing moments where everything lines up and the truth no matter how ugly or how horrific stares right at you. Todd rushed downstairs visibly shaken by his comprehension of the situation. He began to panic when he saw Joe wasn’t in the kitchen, in fact, Joe wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Todd rushed out to his car and hopped into the driver seat. Taken a deep breath he grabbed at the mouthpiece for his scanner and started speaking into it. When his voice didn’t echo back at him from the little box, Todd dropped the mouthpiece. It had been disconnect from the scanner, or rather the cord had been cut. He reached for the handle to his car door but before his hand even got to it there was a click, like that of a shotgun being loaded and readied to fire.

Swallowing hard, Todd turned slowly to find himself staring down the barrel of a 20 gauge Remington. Joe’s voice came from behind the gun high pitched and hysteric.

“You couldn’t leave well enough alone Todd, you just had to come down here and make sure everything was OK. You know just as well as I do that the police force is incompetent that’s why you never take a vacation, you don’t trust them to get the job done. Well this time buddy you stuck your nose into the wrong hornets nest.”

Thinking fast Todd spoke up “Joe, this isn’t what you want to do. I don’t know what you had against that girl but you don’t need to kill me too, I’m your buddy. I’ll testify that you were insane, you’ll get a lighter sentence. I promise.”

“SHUT UP” Joe screeched from the back seat his voice cracking. “You won’t testify for me. You know that. Even in college you always did the right thing no matter who it hurt. That’s why you’re such a good cop. But you’re not going to get me behind bars, no way no how!” With that Joe applied force to the muzzle and pushed Todd’s head towards the windshield. “Turn around, I can‘t look you in the face if I‘m going to do this.” Joe whispered, his voice still high and unnaturally pitched.

Left with no choice Todd slowly turned his head and closed his eyes waiting for the blow to come. He felt the pressure of the muzzle ease off his head and he knew that the bullet was coming. One second passed, then another, and Todd’s life flashed before his eyes.

“I’m sorry for this pal.” Joe whispered.

BANG

Todd jumped when the shotgun fired, but there wasn’t any pain, had Joe missed, am I dead, he thought. Then he heard it, the most sickening noise a person could possibly hear at a time like this. He heard the dead weight of something thud and squish against the back door. Slowly opening his eyes Todd looked back. There in the back seat was Joe’s lifeless body laid up against the door, shotgun still in his lap.

Todd almost broke the door in his attempt to flee from the sight that met his visage. Getting out of the car he ran into the house and dialed 911 as fast as he could, trying to get that singular image out of his head. When the operator answered Todd began to hysterically relay what had just happened. Kindly the operator asked him to calm down and tell her what happened.

Crying Todd replied, “A man just shot himself.”