Father’s Daughter

𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐫: The following work of fiction includes a depiction of the possible tragic reality of some people diagnosed with schizophrenia. This story is NOT a generalization of all people with schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a complex psychological disorder that must be met with kindness, understanding, and proper support. Comments are encouraged to promote an empathetic discussion on how to cope and live a healthy life with the symptoms of schizophrenia.

“𝘾𝙖𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩'𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙤𝙧 𝙗𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙨𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜?”

Two types of people continuously discourse about the matter. Some believe that it is possible due to the environment the child once lived in. For them, it was like a child living like a tabula rasa, inheriting the things he sees and adapting them as he grows older. On the contrary, others argue that it can’t, as offspring can decide whether to follow or break the cycle.

Years have passed since the argument in this matter happened, there was a man who killed his wife, diagnosed with schizophrenia. It left people wondering, “Is there a tendency for it to be passed on to his child?”

I used to be one of those people who believed it was a decision for a child to make—to be different from where they came from. Well, at least that's what I thought.

As the tall walls surrounded me, no sunbeam was there to gleam, just a chair, a small table, and two people.

“Is there a reason why you did it? Why did you kill him?”

“She made me do it,” I say.

“Who did?” The interrogator asked.

I pointed at the shadow in the distant corner. A hazy image–is it a person? A thing? No, I couldn’t even recognize the distorted image of my Mom.

Another person came into the room, holding a brown envelope.

“We have the diagnosis,” the woman says.

Well, I am my father’s daughter after all.

“She has 𝙨𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙯𝙤𝙥𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙖.”