Shallow Valley

54.The Story

54.

This is the story of my life
These are the lies I have created
(30 Seconds To Mars-The Story)

The alarm was ringing insistently. The man snorted and turn it off, rolling on his back. He waved a hand through his face and sighed. He got up and went to the bathroom. He had a hot shower and, after having gotten dressed, he moved to the kitchen and prepared himself some hot coffee. He sat down at the table and had breakfast, sipping the coffee and eating a delicious slice of apple pie that his neighbor had cooked him the evening before. He finished breakfast and washed the dish and the cup, then he went back to the bathroom and brushed his teeth. He yawned and sighed. All he wanted was to go back to his bedroom and sleep endlessly, but he was aware of the fact that he couldn't do it. He surrendered to his duties and, opened the door, crossed the threshold.

"Good morning, Pike." Kaye Lee, her kind neighbor, greeted him.

"Good morning, Mrs Lee. Already up?" he asked, while locking the door.

"Unfortunately yes. What about you? You aren't wearing your uniform, no station today?".

"Today I have to go elsewhere, yes. I hope to come back to Shallow Valley soon in the  evening because I really need to rest. These have been hard days." the man answered. The woman nodded in understanding.

"Well, see you tomorrow then." she waved him goodbye, as he got in the car.

"Yes Mrs Lee. See you tomorrow. Oh, and tell your husband that you are coming to my place on Sunday. I'm going to cook my famous soup." he said, starting the car. He shook his head. He set the navigation system and headed to Polis. He hated that city. First of all, it was too big and crowded and he wasn't used to that. He loved small and quiet place, he lived in Shallow Valley after all. On the other hand, it was hours away and if he could, he would have never gone there. But it was business and he couldn't step back, not now. He was too involved. But, if everything went well, it would have been the last time he had to go there. He looked at the blue sky in front of him. It was a sunny day. He loved sunny days. They reminded him of days full of happiness, joy and a sense of light-heartedness, something that was buried in the past and that it couldn't happen again. He sighed. Charles Pike was born in Shallow Valley and grown up in the same town. He had always been living there since he was a child. His parents weren't rich, but they had always tried to give him everything he needed. His mother, Cynthia, was a teacher, teaching at Shallow Valley's elementary school. Every child loved her, she was a pure soul and a kind hearted woman. His father, Patrick, was a mason instead, a very good man, loved by everyone. Little Charles lived a happy and joyful youth, surrounded by love and care. Everything changed once he started high school. He was a brilliant student, but at the same time he was constantly bullied because of his good grades and love for studying. He slowly became more and more lonely and closed to the world. He had only two friends, Marcus Kane and Jake Griffin. They were an anchor for him, caring for him and helping him through all the high school years. They were inseparable. They went to the cinema, to concerts or simply to the park, everyday. They were the perfect trio, always together. But, again, everything changed once high school ended. Both Marcus and Jake went to Polis in order to attend college, while Charles couldn't leave Shallow Valley, despite having won a merit scholarship for the NYU. His mother was found to have cancer and his father asked him to help him staying home. And when his mother died, he felt so lost and alone, abandoned by everyone and everything. Jake and Marcus were always in Polis and he had no other friends to rely on. Charles started working as butcher's apprentice first, then he started selling newspapers door to door. The idea of joining the police only came once Jake and Marcus came back home. It was a sunny and beautiful day. The trio had been reunited for just three days. They had decided to have a walk through the woods, enjoying the sun, the snow and the pure and fresh air that lacked in a big city as Polis. When they came back to Shallow Valley, however, that wonderful day immediately turned into a nightmare. Charles knocked on the door several minutes before realizing that something was wrong. Seeing his father unconscious on the floor was a shock for him. Patrick died the day after at the hospital and Charles found himself alone, again. And when Marcus and Jake told him some days after about their decision to become detectives he decided to follow them and try to join the local police as officer. He soon became one of the best police officers of the town and the sheriff proposed him as deputy. The relationship between him and his friends couldn't be better. He was Jake's best man with Marcus during Jake's wedding and when Clarke was born, he was the first one to see her. Everything was going well, he basically was living the perfect life. However, something was slowly changing in him. He didn't know when he had become who he was in that moment. He didn't know when everything had become so useless, tasteless, pitiful. The only thing he was sure of was that, at a certain point in his life nothing was enough anymore. He wanted more, more and more. More friends, more stuff, more women, more money, more power. More of everything. The turn of events happened soon after his promotion as detective. He was in Polis, being in touch with a local drug dealer who wanted to import some of his stuff to new and smaller places. They offered him a lot of money, he should have only had to sell pills and other stuff in Shallow Valley. That changed everything. His thirst of money and power slowly caused him to avoid Marcus and Jake more and more. They became suspicious of his strange behavior, especially Jake. Charles had never wanted their friendship to end like this, but he had to think of his business and his future. He had no choice, but get rid of his best friend. It was himself or Jake. But now, after all those years, Pike wondered if the night when Jake Griffin died, he himself had died too. For sure, he had lost two of the most important people of his life. Charles shook his head. He had power, he had money, but at the same time he felt so empty, surrounded by nothing, but regret. And he was so tired of that.