Photo by Guillaume Jaillet on Unsplash
11:34 PM
Police sirens flash in the distance. Nicolas runs, his grip tight on the gun at his side. He turns the corner and heads into Valley Park.
COP
"Stop! Freeze!"
Nicolas ignores him and continues running. It’s dark and difficult to see in front of him. The ground beneath him rises as he approaches a steep hill. He stumbles forward and hits the ground. The gun goes off.
BANG!
He shields himself. The Cop chasing behind falls to his knees and raises his gun at the ready. He reaches for his shoulder mic.
COP
"Shots fired!"
Nicolas gets to his feet and runs up the hill. The Cop moves forward cautiously.
4 MILES AWAY
The voice reverberates out of Sergeant Hamilton’s police radio.
COP
"Shots fired!"
Hamilton steps hard on the gas, sirens wailing. If he didn’t get there in time, it would be too late, and the mere thought of that made Hamilton shutter with fear. He couldn’t lose another. Not after what he went through this past year. He had to make it.
There is one worry on Hamilton’s mind, and it was not the Cop, but the suspect.
INCIDENT REPORT
ONE YEAR EARLIER
Police Corporal Hamilton assisted officers during a disturbance at a house party. The home owner was involved in an altercation with a guest at the party. When Corporal Hamilton pulled up, the guest, who turned out to be a local gangster, shot the home owner twice and fled. Corporal Hamilton chased him all the way to Valley Park.
On the other side, Ernesto Salazar was a on his way home from his friend’s house where they had been working on an engine. Ernesto lived on the other side of Valley Park. Going around the park took about thirty minutes. Cutting through the park however, cut his time by more than half, and that’s what Ernesto did.
Valley Park is often referred to as “Death Valley”. It earned its name because of how impossible it is to see at night. With the city yet to install street lights around the area, the park has become a no-go zone for families and kids after daylight, yet rebellious teenagers continue to hang around. The area is a known hub for drug dealings, prostitution, and gang violence. Much of the violence almost always results in murder, and on that night, it was no different.
It was dark. Ernesto was walking through Valley Park when everything changed.
Shots rang. Corporal Hamilton felt the hiss of the bullet fly by and he hit the ground. He fired back. Everything went quiet. Hamilton pulled out his flashlight and moved forward, gun raised. Then, he saw the body and he fell to his knees.
It was an accident. Corporal Hamilton didn’t see Ernesto nearby when he fired. The bullet went straight through Ernesto’s head, killing him instantly. Corporal Hamilton cried into his mic for help, but it was too late. The gangster was gone and a fifteen-year-old kid lay lifeless in his lap.
It was a night Nicolas would never forget, because Ernesto, was his little brother.
The incident gained nationwide attention. Protesters labeled Corporal Hamilton a racist. A white cop who hates Latinos. It was all lies of course. Corporal Hamilton respected the Latino community, but the public didn’t buy it. And when he was acquitted and a few months later promoted to sergeant, things just got worse.
Nicolas had his own deal of issues. Ernesto's death hit him hard. He turned to drugs and alcohol. When that wasn’t enough to heal the pain, he joined a fight club and quickly gained a reputation for being the local punching bag. Nicolas wasn’t a good fighter, but he was tough. During one fight, his opponent illegally used a broken bottle to slice his face. It was a heavy gash, but Nicolas continued fighting. He brought his opponent to the ground, slammed his head against the concrete, and knocked him out. It was his only victory, but one that earned him the respect of everyone, including the street gang who frequented the event. They nicknamed him, "Scarface", and made him a member of the gang family. The rest of the year was spent in and out of correctional facilities.
Several times Sergeant Hamilton came by to visit Nicolas in jail, but Nicolas denied the visit. Hamilton tried again and again to reach out to him, but no luck. Nicolas wasn’t trying to hear him out. Eventually, Hamilton left him alone.
But when a distress call came through about a male suspect with a scar on his face, Hamilton knew exactly who it was.
PRESENT DAY
Death Valley
Nicolas catches his breath. Sirens close in around him. He sees a spotlight illuminating the red door of a shed below the hill and runs to it.
He grabs the handle and slams his shoulder against the door, but it doesn’t open. He tries again, kicking and slamming his body against it and still nothing. Suddenly, the Cop appears at the top of the hill.
COP
"Stop!"
Nicolas ignores him, points the gun at the lock, and shoots.
The Cop takes cover behind a tree.
Nicolas pushes the door open and enters. Inside the shed is your typical layout. Tools, maintenance equipment, and a small desk covered in documents and a small portable TV. Nicolas pushes the desk against the door then lets out a heavy exhausted breath.
The Cop approaches cautiously and speaks into his mic.
COP
"Suspect has just barricaded himself inside the shed on the north side of Valley Park. Need assistance here asap. Suspect is armed. I repeat, he is armed."
Nicolas looks around. He hears the Cop call out to him outside.
COP
"Come out with your hands up!"
NICOLAS
"Fuck you!"
Nicolas hears the rest of the calvary show up. He leans back against the wall and sighs. Then he slides down to the floor and waits.
By the time Sergeant Hamilton shows up, the shed is surrounded by cops. A police helicopter hovers above shining a spotlight on the scene, while media crew begin setting up. He whispers to himself.
HAMILTON
"Kid what have you done?"
Sergeant Hamilton approaches the Cop.
HAMILTON
"Is he in there?"
COP
"Yes sir. He fired a single shot a few yards back, then locked himself inside ."
HAMILTON
"Anyone hurt?"
COP
"It’s too dark to know. There’s a team out scouring the area right now."
HAMILTON
"Ok, I need to talk to him."
The Cop offers him the intercom.
HAMILTON
"No. I need to talk to him up close."
COP
"Sir I don’t think that’s a good idea."
HAMILTON
"It’s ok."
Sergeant Hamilton turns and walks slowly to the shed.
HAMILTON
"Nicolas! It’s me, Sergeant Hamilton!"
Nicolas looks up startled.
HAMILTON
“Nicolas I know it’s you. Please put the gun down and come out.”
Nicolas leans in closer to the door.
NICOLAS
“Are you here to kill me too puerco?”
HAMILTON
“No. No I’m here to help you kid.
NICOLAS
“There’s no helping me now puerco.”
HAMILTON
“You have a lot of guns here pointed at you. Don’t give them a reason to pull the trigger. Put your gun down. Come out. Let’s talk.
NICOLAS
“Not happening!”
Locals swarm the area. One of them, a woman well known in the community, moves through the crowd in search of someone. She approaches a young teenager named Michael.
WOMAN
“Michael have you seen Kelly?
MICHAEL
“No ma’am.”
WOMAN
“She hasn’t come home.”
Sergeant Hamilton walks closer to the shed.
HAMILTON
“Nicolas please. I can help you.”
NICOLAS
“Like you helped my brother?!”
Sergeant Hamilton shakes his head.
NICOLAS
“My brother was innocent. He was just coming home!”
HAMILTON
“I can't bring Ernesto back Nicolas. I wish I could. I'd give my life to have him here again. You have to believe me, but he wouldn’t want this. Your brother wouldn’t want this Nicolas.”
“My brother wanted to live but you killed him!”
Hamilton sighs.
NICOLAS
“You never knew my brother. Don’t act like you did.”
HAMILTON
“You’re right. I didn’t know him, but you did. Do you think he’d be happy to see you now? At what you’re doing?”
Nicolas stares at the gun next to him on the floor.
NICOLAS
“It doesn’t matter anymore.”
The Cop looks on. One of the troopers approaches him and whispers in his ear. The Cop’s eyes widen.
COP
“Sergeant!”
Hamilton turns and walks back.
COP
“Troopers found a body. A young girl.”
HAMILTON
“No...”
COP
“This just turned into a homicide.”
The reporter on scene is on-the-air reporting back when she receives the news. She listens into her earpiece.
REPORTER
“Brian we’re just getting confirmation that officers have a discovered the body of a young teenage girl here at Valley Park…”
WOMAN
“Kelly no!”
The woman cries hysterically. The crowd hold her and start yelling and pointing to the shed.
CROWD
“Murderer! He killed her!”
Nicolas hears the woman crying and the crowd yelling. He peeks through the window and sees the crowd pointing his direction, angry. The news crew are in the distance. Nicolas quickly grabs the portable TV, turns it on, and browses the channels until he finds the news covering the story. He listens carefully.
REPORTER
“…you can hear the crowd next to me now Brian. They are enraged at what was just discovered. Again, it is confirmed, a teenage girl was shot and killed earlier tonight. The suspect locked inside the shed behind me now faces murder charges. This is the latest turn of events at what now has become another sad night in this community.”
The camera pans to the woman wailing.
WOMAN
“He killed my baby!”
Nicolas stares at the monitor in shock.
Sergeant Hamilton rubs his head.
COP
“We’re getting a team ready to go in.”
HAMILTON
“No. There’s been enough bloodshed tonight.”
NICOLAS
“Puerco!”
Hamilton turns and rushes back, the Cop behind him.
HAMILTON
“Nicolas? I’m here. What’s wrong?”
NICOLAS
“Is it true? Did I kill that girl?”
Hamilton looks at the Cop.
NICOLAS
“Tell me!”
HAMILTON
“Yes.”
Nicolas goes silent. Then he remembers the shot that fired when he stumbled to the floor. It was an accident, but of course no one would believe that.
HAMILTON
“Kid?”
No answer.
HAMILTON
“Nicolas listen to me. It was an accident. I know you didn’t mean to. I can still help you, but you have to put the gun down and come out.”
NICOLAS
“I killed that girl…”
HAMILTON
“Nicolas please, come out.”
Nicolas thinks about the woman and the emotions running through her right now. That familiar wave of anger and sadness he felt when he found out about his brother. Now, because of him, a mother will have to bury her daughter. And as sorry as he is, he knows she would never forgive him. Why would she? He hasn’t forgiven Hamilton for killing his brother.
Suddenly his brother's face comes to mind.
HAMILTON
“Nicolas talk to me.”
NICOLAS
“I’ve seen you at my brother’s grave. You’re there every night aren’t you?”
Sergeant Hamilton nods.
HAMILTON
“Yes.”
NICOLAS
“He comes to me in my dreams you know. It’s always the same. He’s three years old, and following me. Everywhere I go, everything I do…no matter what, he’s there. Just like when were kids. You know what he tells me Puerco?”
HAMILTON
“No.”
NICOLAS
" He says, welcome brother…welcome.”
Sergeant Hamilton looks confused.
HAMITON
“Those are some dreams kid. I’d love to hear more. Why don't you let me come in? I swear it’ll only be me. We can talk about your brother.”
There's a long pause before Nicolas responds.
NICOLAS
“Do you ever see him Puerco? When you visit him, does he come to you?”
HAMILTON
“Kid don’t do this to yourself.”
NICOLAS
“Do you see him?!”
Hamilton frowns and stares at the ground a moment.
HAMILTON
“Every day.”
NICOLAS
“What does he say?”
HAMILTON
“…nothing. He never says anything.”
Tears run down Nicolas’ face.
HAMILTON
“Nicolas, whatever you’re thinking, don’t. Please, don’t.”
It's silent.
HAMILTON
"Just come out. For God's sake, please, just come out."
Sergeant Hamilton waits.
NICOLAS
“I forgive you Puerco. I forgive you…”
The next thing Hamilton heard, was the sound of the gunshot.