Sadistically Sweet (Watty Awards Finalist 2012)

Preparing for the Battle

Nate's View

Quitters. Cowards. Never in my life had I been more disappointed in anyone. 

The search crew had decided to give up. They claimed they couldn't spend more time or money on a case gone cold. Haitlin had been missing for about two months, and now they were giving up. They claimed the chances of finding her were slim.

Damn them all. I don't care how long it will take to find her, but I will find her. I know she's still out there, and I cannot give up on my daughter. The search crews were just afraid of the weather.

Tonight a blizzard was expected to blow over, 'one for the books' they claim. A little snow won't get in my way, but I cannot help but feel betrayed. The townspeople rallied together to search the forest, but not even halfway through and they all gave up! They would rather sit by the fire, drink hot coco and ignore the fact that my little girl could be dead!

No. I can't think like that. She's not dead, she can't be. 

My fist was curled so tight that my knuckles went white. Those thoughts had tormented me for weeks, but now they were more realistic than ever. If Haitlin is still out there in the wild, then she won't last for long. The blizzard could kill her; I had to find her.

I stood outside the station long enough, I had to confront Chief. I wouldn't let him close this case so soon. My daughter's life was at stake.

"Nate, calm the hell down," Bud warned me.

He was leaning towards me, ready to hold me back if I flew through those doors. He knew I was pissed, but nothing he could say could have calmed me down.

"Bud, back down," I warned through clenched teeth.

"I'm not going to let you get suspended for this. We can work it out, but you can't do anything you'll regret if you want to save Haitlin!"

"I won't regret anything I'm about to do."

Without warning, I pushed past him and charged into the station. He was quick to react, but I ran fast. By the time Bud reached me I had already had Chief by his collar with my arm pulled back.

"Nate!" Bud screamed at me. 

Chief just stood, watching me, waiting to see if I would hit him or not. I would.

With as much force as I could muster, I slammed my fist into his face. I felt his nose break under the force, but was too enraged to feel my own pain.

"How dare you call off the search crew? You're damning my daughter to death!" I roared.

Bud locked my arms behind me, but I struggled against him. That one hit wasn't enough, I needed to get my point across.

"It has been two months Nathander! Two months have passed and still no trace of her. The case has gone cold, you have to realize that. For all we know she ran off with someone. We can't risk the good lives of our townspeople to look for a girl who might not be missing!" Chief screamed.

His words were partially muffled due to his hand covering his bleeding nose, but they rung through my mind; torturing me.

"Then where is she? You know she wouldn't run off, she's not that kind of girl! I know her," I screamed back.

"Yet you let her walk home alone," he said coolly.

That was uncalled for. 

"I'll kill you!" I roared.

Lunging forward, I resisted Bud's hold, but he had advantage. Back up came rushing in and soon I was pinned to the ground like a criminal.

"Nathander Brookes, you're on suspension," Chief informed me.