Whispers of the Innocent

7

Since childhood, I, Henry Morrison, dreamed of joining the police academy to become a detective, fueled by my love for mystery and detective stories.

In 1997, at 17, I sat for the SATs, the moment I felt closest to my dream. But then, the unthinkable happened.

My father said to me, "Son, I have to die."

The day after the exams, I found my father.

We lived in a rural area surrounded by endless mountain ranges. My father had instilled in me a love for hiking and studying the mountain's flora and fauna from a young age, which led to my passion for keeping reptile pets.

We even had our own thrilling path up the mountain, reserved for our father-son adventures.

Driven by a premonition, I searched for my father for two days without success until I thought of that mountain path.

Rushing up the path, I found him on the edge of a cliff, where he had been sitting in despair since dropping me off at the exam center, contemplating death yet fearing it.

Tears in my eyes, I asked, "Why, Dad?"

He cried too, revealing a dark secret he had harbored for years.

Not long after I was born, my father left to work out of state, only returning for the holidays.

In 1985, on his way home, his car broke down, forcing him to walk a part of the journey. One night, he sought shelter with a family.

Carrying a significant amount of cash, he was extra cautious while sleeping. But as he feared, someone entered his room at midnight—the male homeowner.

Enraged, my father fought back. The homeowner, intent on robbing him, pulled a knife. Panic-stricken, my father fought harder, ultimately taking the knife and killing the man.

Realizing he had killed someone, my father's panic escalated, leading to a blind rage where he lost control.

By the time he regained his senses, he had killed the entire family of five, sparing no one.

Aware of his crime, he fled into the night. The crime scene was in a neighboring state, and after crossing two mountains and hitching a ride, he finally made it back home.

After that, my father never left for work again, choosing instead to stay and farm.