The Decline
Serenity Oates
“Let’s go hiking, c’mon dad!” exclaimed Geneva. She had been wanting to pass time with her dad since he had returned from his deployment overseas. It had been five years since she had last seen him, she was seven now.
“Not today, I have things to do,” he told her. “Perhaps tomorrow.”
Lately, it was always tomorrow. A day would pass, and his answer remained the same. When Geneva was a baby, her dad always took great care of her and made sure to spend a lot of time with her. She was in hopes that things would go back to the same. However, he seemed to have changed. Her dad was ever so distant. She waited patiently, asking day after day to go outside and explore the mountains with her dad.
After many days had passed, she felt like giving up asking. She decided that this would be the last time she asked.
“Dad, let’s go for a hike, please, you always say it’s good to get out of the house.” Geneva felt like she was beating a dead horse.
“That sounds like a good idea, let’s go.” He responded.
She never expected to hear these words. Her heart filled with excitement and she immediately left to get ready. She packed a bag with snacks and waters, then was ready to hit the road. Geneva went to go find her dad. He was packing up a seemingly large bag.
“What’re you gonna need all that for?” She was quite curious. He was packing many items, such as photos, watches, and his dad’s car keys, which he kept as a good luck charm.
“You never know what might happen, Geneva, it’s good to take important things with you.”
She did not question this, as she always trusted her dad. They drove to the Manzano mountain range and began their hike. Geneva and her father were bonding better than ever, smiles covered both of their faces. They were nearly at the peak of the mountain when they came to a stop. He continued having flashbacks of when he used to jump from planes during his time overseas. He was fighting it off but proceeded through. They proceeded along the hike.
“Geneva, you are the best daughter I could ever ask for, keep doing great things.” She was confused, as this praise was sudden.
“I’m sorry that I am not around much, but I have to do my job. I want you to go far in life, okay?” He added.
She was in shock, things like this were never said by her father.
“Thank you dad, that means a lot, of course I will.” She answered, while concerned about where this came from.
They continued the trek to the top. When the duo got there, Geneva looked down the side opposite to where they walked up.
“Woah! That’s steep.” She added. This was the highest up she had ever been. Her dad took out his phone, presumably to take pictures, she sat on a rock and smiled. Rather than open the camera, he handed her the phone with her moms’ number dialed in. He kneeled down and held Geneva’s hand.
“Keep doing great things.” He said as he slipped her a paper, seemingly a letter. Geneva was still confused.
“Of course I will, I already do!” She exclaimed. She turned around to look at a bird passing by, her father gave her a tight hug.
“Call momma, okay? Tell her about the pretty birds. Tell her what you see.” He said.
Geneva dialed her mother and set the phone down on speaker.
“I love you, Geneva, my little sunshine.” He said. Geneva was focused on the blue jays flying past. With a large step, her father went off the cliff edge. Geneva heard an impact. She turned around and looked. All she saw was the tragic site of her father lying on the ground 1857 feet below her. She had no words. The young girl could barely comprehend what had just happened. Geneva broke down to her knees in tears. Her mother, still on the phone, was clueless.
“Mom! Mom! Mom!” Geneva could hardly speak. Her mom took this as a sign of emergency and drove quickly to an area that sounded similar. It sounded exactly like where her father had proposed to her mother, so Geneva’s mom knew where to go. 20 minutes pass, and her mother arrives. Both are crushed emotionally.
“Honey, what did he say?” asked her mother.
“He told me he was proud, and he loved me. He handed me this paper and…. His bag, he brought many things.” Geneva barely spoke this sentence. She handed her mom the paper. Geneva’s mother tried to read it, but her tears kept causing the ink to bleed. The two decided it would be best to return home. A silent yet sniffle-filled hike back down to the trailhead caused pain in Geneva’s heart. They returned home and looked through the bag. Her mother continued to try to read the note. She was able to make out the first line:
“I’m sorry I am never around. I’m never around for any of you. Don’t fear, it won’t be any different. Always in your hearts.”
Geneva and her mother let out sorrowful screams as they sobbed in each other’s arms. Things would be different, no matter what her father had said. Tragedy filled the rest of the night.
“Not today, I have things to do,” he told her. “Perhaps tomorrow.”
Lately, it was always tomorrow. A day would pass, and his answer remained the same. When Geneva was a baby, her dad always took great care of her and made sure to spend a lot of time with her. She was in hopes that things would go back to the same. However, he seemed to have changed. Her dad was ever so distant. She waited patiently, asking day after day to go outside and explore the mountains with her dad.
After many days had passed, she felt like giving up asking. She decided that this would be the last time she asked.
“Dad, let’s go for a hike, please, you always say it’s good to get out of the house.” Geneva felt like she was beating a dead horse.
“That sounds like a good idea, let’s go.” He responded.
She never expected to hear these words. Her heart filled with excitement and she immediately left to get ready. She packed a bag with snacks and waters, then was ready to hit the road. Geneva went to go find her dad. He was packing up a seemingly large bag.
“What’re you gonna need all that for?” She was quite curious. He was packing many items, such as photos, watches, and his dad’s car keys, which he kept as a good luck charm.
“You never know what might happen, Geneva, it’s good to take important things with you.”
She did not question this, as she always trusted her dad. They drove to the Manzano mountain range and began their hike. Geneva and her father were bonding better than ever, smiles covered both of their faces. They were nearly at the peak of the mountain when they came to a stop. He continued having flashbacks of when he used to jump from planes during his time overseas. He was fighting it off but proceeded through. They proceeded along the hike.
“Geneva, you are the best daughter I could ever ask for, keep doing great things.” She was confused, as this praise was sudden.
“I’m sorry that I am not around much, but I have to do my job. I want you to go far in life, okay?” He added.
She was in shock, things like this were never said by her father.
“Thank you dad, that means a lot, of course I will.” She answered, while concerned about where this came from.
They continued the trek to the top. When the duo got there, Geneva looked down the side opposite to where they walked up.
“Woah! That’s steep.” She added. This was the highest up she had ever been. Her dad took out his phone, presumably to take pictures, she sat on a rock and smiled. Rather than open the camera, he handed her the phone with her moms’ number dialed in. He kneeled down and held Geneva’s hand.
“Keep doing great things.” He said as he slipped her a paper, seemingly a letter. Geneva was still confused.
“Of course I will, I already do!” She exclaimed. She turned around to look at a bird passing by, her father gave her a tight hug.
“Call momma, okay? Tell her about the pretty birds. Tell her what you see.” He said.
Geneva dialed her mother and set the phone down on speaker.
“I love you, Geneva, my little sunshine.” He said. Geneva was focused on the blue jays flying past. With a large step, her father went off the cliff edge. Geneva heard an impact. She turned around and looked. All she saw was the tragic site of her father lying on the ground 1857 feet below her. She had no words. The young girl could barely comprehend what had just happened. Geneva broke down to her knees in tears. Her mother, still on the phone, was clueless.
“Mom! Mom! Mom!” Geneva could hardly speak. Her mom took this as a sign of emergency and drove quickly to an area that sounded similar. It sounded exactly like where her father had proposed to her mother, so Geneva’s mom knew where to go. 20 minutes pass, and her mother arrives. Both are crushed emotionally.
“Honey, what did he say?” asked her mother.
“He told me he was proud, and he loved me. He handed me this paper and…. His bag, he brought many things.” Geneva barely spoke this sentence. She handed her mom the paper. Geneva’s mother tried to read it, but her tears kept causing the ink to bleed. The two decided it would be best to return home. A silent yet sniffle-filled hike back down to the trailhead caused pain in Geneva’s heart. They returned home and looked through the bag. Her mother continued to try to read the note. She was able to make out the first line:
“I’m sorry I am never around. I’m never around for any of you. Don’t fear, it won’t be any different. Always in your hearts.”
Geneva and her mother let out sorrowful screams as they sobbed in each other’s arms. Things would be different, no matter what her father had said. Tragedy filled the rest of the night.
Serenity Oates is a cadet who has been here slightly under one year. She loves passing time with friends. She is at NMMI to do the dual-degree program and finish out high school with an associate of science.