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Inspirational Crime Historical Fiction

There he sits, in the crowded train going to Memphis, Tennessee, rereading yesterday’s newspaper from April 24, 1942. Halfway there the man begins to regret his decision of applying for a law enforcement job.

Why did I leave the beautiful, scenery of Kentucky for this stupid job? he ponders. I like food better than music. But, life has its reasons that it keeps to itself.

All of a sudden, a black man is getting on the train. He sits down in the front.

“Hey, you,” the conductor says. “Go to the back of the train.”

“But, sir, I-”

“I don’t wanna hear it,” the conductor interjects. “You either go to the back of the train or you don’t ride this train at all.”

“Conductor, wait,” says the man from Kentucky. “Let the black man sit with me.”

“Well,” the conductor starts to say, then hesitates. “Ok, fine.”

“Thank you so much,” the black man says.

“No problem,” says the future law enforcement officer.

A day later the man arrives in Memphis. He loves the scenery and the beautiful hills there, but he did not realize it would be so busy, and he feels sorry for the hundreds of people without a home, crying and struggling to keep their kids fed. As a few families soon see that this man is a prestigious individual, they scamper up to him and beg for the precious paper with the president's face on it.

"I can only afford to treat you to twenty dollars each; I am so sorry,” says the man.

Sniffling, one of the mothers gratefully speaks. "God bless you, Mr…,"

"Isaac,” he replies generously. “Isaac Hunt. And you?"

"I am Ava Griffin, and this is my 12-year-old daughter, Naudia Griffin. My daughter's dream is to be a great detective. We needed money for food and clothes, so we could eat and I can get a job to pay for my daughter's education, so she can live up to her big dream. Thank you so much for the twenty dollars, we will never forget this."

Isaac humbly replies, "You are so welcome, and I am glad I could help. And Naudia, good luck with your big dream. Just don't forget to never give up. And trust me, you will make it. And, who knows? Maybe we will cross paths once again. But for now, goodbye."

As Isaac walks away, he notices that it was getting dark out and that he didn't even have a place to sleep. But thankfully Isaac sees a humongous, lit-up sign that reads, "Glacier Inn and Suites." Something about this place strikes Mr. Hunt’s mind, and before he even knows it, he is inside the building.

"Hello sir, would you like to book a room?" a blunt and heavy voice asks.

"Oh yes, a regular room please," Isaac replies softly, feeling very welcomed in the city.

"How many nights will you be spending?" the man at the counter asks.

Isaac hesitates for just a moment and says, “Just tonight, please.”

“Okay, that will be five dollars. Here’s your key and you are going to be in room 202,” the man at the counter tells Isaac.

As Isaac walks up the stairs to his room, he begins to look around the burgundy stairway to try to figure out why the stairway reeked of gasoline and cigarettes. But, before Issac finds out, he lets out a yawn, so, knowing that he is sleepy, he walks tiredly into his room.

“Wow!” he says to himself, “I didn’t think the rooms would be this nice! Are they all suites? I thought I ordered a regular room.”

He crawls into the very warm and cozy bed, and very fast he falls asleep.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! The fire alarm goes. Isaac wakes up. There is a lot of heat and pressure. 

“FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!” Isaac yells as he hears screaming.

“HELPPPP!!!” he hears a female voice say. “MY BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Isaac knows he can’t leave them; he has to help them.

“Don’t worry, help is on the way!” Isaac yells so loudly, it hurts his own ears.

He feels the door with the back of his hand, checking if it is hot. It is not.

He runs out the door, slides down the stairs, runs past the lobby into the hall of rooms he knows the woman called from.

“Ma’am,” he yells. “I need you to yell something, so I know where you are!”

“OKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!” she yells. Almost instantly, Isaac knows where the woman is.

He feels the door with the back of his hand again, but this time it is hot.

“I’m coming, ma’am!” he yells.

He runs into the bathroom in the lobby, finds a wet towel, and opens the door.

But the flames. The flames are everywhere! With adrenaline pumping through his veins, he runs into the janitor’s closet, grabs a bucket filled with water, and throws it on top of the flames, dulling them all out.

“Don’t worry, ma’am, I will save you.”

He runs into the room with a towel partly over his eyes, grabs the baby, and puts his free arm around the lady, and brings them out of the hotel and into the parking lot.

 Together they watch the hotel burst into flames as they listen to the sirens of the fire trucks and the ambulances.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you so much,” the lady says as she starts coughing. 

“You’re very welcome, but get to a hospital right away, just to get you and your baby checked out.” 

That is how Isaac Hunt’s career started.

He became a renowned law enforcement officer, with his trained sidekick Naudia Griffin, and he fought against many foes, including Nazis, the KKK, Communists, and many other villains during his reign. After a long tenure as the chief law enforcement officer, he passed the position down to, now a full-grown, Naudia Griffin, who holds the position today.  He retired and lived a happy life. Nobody knows where he is now, however. But some have seen him in gardens, looking at the sunset in all of its glory. Because that is what he liked the most.

April 22, 2021 19:14

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