Grade 11
Francis Wilfred Olilang, Sapian National High School
Grade 11 - First Place
Prompt 1: You're sitting in front of a criminal, having a conversation. Things are not the way you expect them to be.
Gray Area
Detective’s Log #17. December 16, 1991. I am Anthony Wayne, detective for the LAPD. I have been working on a murder case for renowned triathlete, Stephen James, three months ago. I am now in front of his suspected hitter, Ted Gacy. I hope the conversation would not go awry.
As he sits on the desk, he was a madman. His eyes were looking on one direction, his hands shaking, and he smiles as if he didn’t commit a crime. “Good morning, Mr. Gacy, I am detective Anthony Wayne, and I am here to talk about what you’ve did on the night of August 17.” I introduced myself to him, with a firm and stable tone. He just sat there, and he didn’t answer immediately. A few minutes later, he opened his mouth. “I have nothing to say. I’m not guilty. I’ve never done anything to that athlete.” He said, with a deep, brooding voice.
“You know, I’ve met many criminals who just wants to watch the world burn. Are you that kind of man?” I said to him. “I see a world where it’s not worth to be redeemed. I just wanna ask, do you think this world is worth living for, Detective Wayne?” He asked me, with an egoistic smile and his eyes signaling a sharp madness. “Yes. I would live in a world like this. Why? Do you envision another world?” I answered.
“Yes. I do envision a world that’s better than the world we live in. I’d want a world full of chaos, excitement. A dystopia, or should I say, utopia. You think our world has order? Political corruption, conservative views, a culture that’s unsustainable, toxic people all around you. Is that order for you, detective Wayne?” he said. After that, I deeply thought about what he said. “Is our world free, Mr. Wayne? Is this the world we want? Is this the world you want?” he further asked.
“You know Mr. Gacy, this world we live in may not be perfect, but it’s the only world we have.” I answered. “Nah. This world ain’t enough. We could do better, further. This ain’t the world I want. This ain’t the world we need.”
As I face this man, his views changed me. He enlightened me and I questioned my own views in the world. Is this the world we really need? Would we really need to surrender ourselves in this pseudo freedom because we want to be safe? Is this really order?
“Face me, Mr. Wayne.” He called me. “Look at the world around you. This world might cease to exist. Man ain’t the greatest species that have ever lived. You can’t have order without chaos. You are never gonna be the best of you without chaos.” He said.
“Stop it! Chaos will never be greater power! Man will be a great species without people like you!” I shouted, as I felt his views might overpower me. “Ah A hot-tempered detective. Tell me, am I getting to your head already?” He menacingly said.
“You’re never getting into my head. A criminal’s mind will always be a criminal.” I said. “Not every person is black nor white, detective. Not all politicians are angels and not all criminals are demons. It may be the other way around. We all have different perspectives. I may have killed that athlete, I may not. It’s up to you to judge me if I killed him or not. But I warn you. The world turns different every night.”
I remembered what he said and until now his world kept my mind boggled. As I walked out the room, I took all his words seriously. I can still feel his influence throughout my views. He made me change the way I see the world.
Detective Wayne, out.
Jordania Abu Najem, Sapian National High School
Grade 11 - Second Place
Prompt 1: You're sitting in front of a criminal, having a conversation. Things are not the way you expect them to be.
Sitting in front of a criminal has never been in my mind, not until now. My eyes watered as I stared at the man in front of me. He is wearing a dirty while t-shirt with balck old pedal shorts while not wearing any shoes nor slippers. Blood are slowly flowing out form his wounds in the face due to the forceful ways of the police. His nails in his foot are all bloody because of running away barefoot. The eyes of the man sitting in front of me were lifeless, and I can’t help but cried silently. Murderous stares from all the people in this building are all focused in one direction. Disgusted and anger are maybe what’s in their heart. The man in surprisingly quite for a criminal but unusually, I can feel the rage form his fists cause he is gripping it very hard, like he is holding something back. One police officer interviewed him, and all his response was “you have got it all wrong!”, he shouted at first that surprised us but not me. He repeated those words 100 times and more, until he can only whisper and mutter it in his own. But I can hear his words clearly and loudly, like I know what those words mean.
He seems like he had gone crazy and still muttering something in his breath. My tears dried up and my head is aching because of this situation. This man had probably done nothing wrong and maybe he did. One police officer shouted at me “Police Office Nakahara, what are you doing?” is what he said. I am a police and was in charge of the criminal case of this man. I am supposed to lock his hands in a handcuff in case something might go wrong but I can’t seem to collect my mind and control myself. This is the worst, happening in my life, probably. The man started crying and I cried as well. The man later on starts laughing but I am still crying and I can not laugh like he is. The man licks the blood flowing from his face and starts talking to himself. And I laugh. He is incredibly a multi-tasking man. He can cry, laugh and act at the same time. I can’t do this anymore so I slapped my face very hard and take action.
I successful get his attention by the word “Hey, Dad!” that I’d said. He looked at me calmly and he starts acting normal. He is not saying anything but I can see the joy in his eyes. I’ve not seen him for more than 2 years cause he is in his medication in the mental hospital. He had not graduated as policeman as he dreams that’s why I pursued police officer cause it was his greatest wish for me and for himself. I am happy that I succeeded being a police officer. But arresting your own mentally illed father is the worst case I have done and gone through as a police office. He was discharge quickly because of his condition and the thing he have done is all a misunderstanding since he is only giving a child a mouth to mouth (CPR) cause the child drown in the river, he rescued her and people think he raped the young girl. Luckily, there is a witness who clarified all of the misunderstanding. I hugged and kissed my father as he got in the ambulance, he escape from the hospital and he is not going back. The man sitting in front of me, mistakenly for being a criminal is my own father.
Sarah Joy Estrada, Pamukid National High School
Grade 11 - Third Place
Prompt 1: You're sitting in front of a criminal, having a conversation. Things are not the way you expect them to be.
As I scan the whole place, I’ve seen unfamiliar faces behind bars. The unpleasant smell of cigarettes puff by the sheriff and stain of blood on the floor. At the end of the hallway there is a door with a warning “Don’t Enter.” I slowly walk towards that door. As I open the door, I saw her. She’s wearing her infamous smirk. “Oh you came back” she said grinning. “Why did you kill them?” I asked. “I didn’t kill them,” she paused while looking at me directly. “You killed them.” I tap my fingers at the table. “How can you say that I killed them?” “Don’t ask me. Ask yourself.” She’s grinning from ear to ear while twirling her hair. I lit the cigarette from my pocket and start to walk towards her. Before I can proceed she spoke, “Do you love her?” “Who’s her?” I asked innocently. “Sarah, your ex-girlfriend.” The room went silent. I can hear the clock tik-toking and the small noise from air conditioner. “You kill her together with her boyfriend. You knew that I have huge crush with her boyfriend and I have record of mental disorder but I am now completely healed. You used me to be your bait,” she said. “I was going to confess my feeling with him but then I saw you pointing a gun with Sarah. She begged you not to shot her but you still did. And then John saw you, he tried to defeat you but cut his throat. I was supposed to run but I was stilled from where I am standing. You left them like nothing. I was about to help them when the police arrived and they arrested me.” I smirked with her work. “Bravo! You’re right. I killed both of them.” I said while slowly clapping. “And you know what’s next?” I let out my gun inside my pocket and point at her. “You. So better save me room from hell.” I said, as I pull the trigger. I killed them. Sarah, John and now Maddy. I am the criminal. I am the real murderer.