Polar Opposites

Matty

"Humanity suits you." I wouldn't get ahead of yourself. The only reason I could ever be nice to her, ever, is because my father told me to. At least that's what I think is happening. And yet, when he pointed that gun at her head, I just might have felt a twinge of fear, and maybe even regret. In all honesty, I don't really know how I feel. Being around someone my age after years of solitude is beginning to mess with my head. Like she put it, I'm beginning to feel... compassion.

Which is why I find myself storming out into the forest for a bit of peace and quiet. The natural world makes so much sense to me. It's a taken, a fact, that you have to fight to survive, that there will always be a threat to you, something that can cause you harm, like the weather, or your predators. But unlike the man-made world, it's just accepted. Not feared or pushed back against with war or violence, but simply tolerated. It's the cycle of life.

It's quite dark in the woods when I set off. It's at that stage of the evening when the sun is just dipping below the horizon, the foliage blocking out most of the rays of sunlight that try to break through the treeline. Dappled orange-red spots appear on the floor as the light squeezes inbetween the more sparse leaves. The birds are slowly returning to their roosting perches, their wings fluttering as they try to find space on their branches above me.

I let myself inhale deeply as I walk around. The air feels crisp and cool, yet still warm, a summer's evening clear of the mugginess of the usual humid heat that comes with this time of the year.

I must have walked for about an hour, when I hear voices echoing off the trees. I stiffen, and inch closer to the source, while still trying to remain concealed in the undergrowth.

Ahead of me three men, all fairly large and tall, stand in a small circle. My heart dips as I recognise the emblem on their uniform to be of the Chief of Polices department- Lana's father. Cautiously, so that they don't become aware of my presence, I army crawl closer and begin to eavesdrop.

'It's getting dark,' one of the men complain. 'It's not safe to be out this late.'

'The Chief won't be happy if we go back with no news,' the second man, seemingly the leader argues.

Silently I wish for them to go back with no news. Partly to annoy the chief, and also so we are not risked being exposed.

'It's lot cause,' the third man pipes up, 'She wouldn't have survived this long in the forest without anything. At this point we're looking for a body.'

My heart jolts a little as I realise they're talking about Lana.

'That's not what he wants news for anymore though,' the leader replies, 'He couldn't care less whether she's alive or not at this point. He's sure that there's some other story behind it, like a kidnapping or something - like it's personal dig against him.'

My head clouds with confusion at that. What kind of father would not care whether their child was dead? Clearly the other men were thinking the same thing, as they look at each other incredulously.

'He gave up hope a while ago,' the man explains, 'What with his... past... he's learnt to look at things objectively.'

They carry on arguing for a few minutes more, each seemingly terrified to face the chief empty handed, before the leader of the pack relents, and they begin to trudge back in the direction of the town.

I also turn away and walk in the opposite direction. My father may be psychopathic when it comes to those he hates, but I know for certain he world protect me with his life if he had the chance. He certainly wouldn't give up without any proof. And yet Lana's dad, the 'moral man' of the century, could not care less about his only daughter, even when she's not been missing for much more than a week.