OFFICER CAMPBELL

The graduation ceremony for the police academy was a proud and emotional event. Family and friends gathered in the auditorium, adorned with blue and gold decorations, to witness the hard-won accomplishments of their loved ones. The main character, a man in his early thirties, walked confidently onto the stage in his crisp, navy blue uniform. As he stood at attention, the audience could see the determination etched on his face. Now, as he stood before his peers and mentors, he had finally achieved his goal of becoming a police officer.

The ceremony began with the national anthem 'God Bless Our Homeland Ghana', followed by speeches from the academy's instructors and the chief of police. They spoke of the importance of integrity, honor, and service to the community, and how these values were instilled in the graduating class. Damian listened attentively, cursing every single word that was spoken. To him, the Guttenberg P.D and the entire Ghana Police Service were nothing but a joke, a mere shell of what it used to be before gangsters began to take offices. As the graduates received their diplomas and badges, the audience erupted in applause. Damian's mother, beamed with pride as he shook hands with the academy's director and posed for photographs. He felt a sense of accomplishment and excitement for the challenges ahead as police officer. The ceremony came to a close with the traditional "policeman's prayer," after which the graduates joined their families and friends for a reception. Damian mingled with his fellow officers, exchanging stories and congratulations.

When he noticed how busy everyone was, he signaled his mother to meet him in the back to take a picture or a few, to save that moment in time. The event marked the end of one journey and the beginning of another, as Damian officially joined the ranks of the men and women in blue. At the graduation, the new officers were informed that they would have a one-week break to relax and spend time with their families to make up for the six months they were away, and to get their minds relaxed and prepared for the real world.

The newly graduated officer Campbell, sat alone in his new apartment which was small but big enough for one person, taking a well-deserved break before beginning his official duties as a police officer. The past few months at the academy had been grueling, both physically and mentally, and he was exhausted. He had worked tirelessly to achieve his goal of becoming a police officer, dedicating himself to mastering complex tactics and procedures, and developing mental toughness. Now, as he sat in his apartment, he could hardly believe that he had graduated from the academy and was officially a member of the force.

As he looked around his sparsely furnished living room, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of loneliness. He had been so focused on his training that he hadn't had much time to build his relationship with his mother, the only family he had. She of all people deserved to be with Damian at least a day or two, before work takes up much of his time. He didn't have a partner to share this moment with, but a mother who lived just an hour drive away, this made him feel a little bit down. He began to reflect on the sacrifices he had made to become a police officer. He had moved away from the only family he had and the neighborhood he grew up in, he gave up the dream of becoming a doctor, and place his personal life on hold. He knew that being a police officer was a demanding job that would require even more sacrifices in the future. But as he thought about the importance of his role in protecting the community and serving justice, he knew that it was all worth it. He convinced himself that he could not afford to have his future enemies knowing about the existence of his mother, so he kept her a secret. He felt a sense of purpose and belonging than he had never experienced before. And as he thought about the future, he knew that he was ready to take on the challenges that lay ahead, even if it meant living alone. He got up from his chair and went to his window, looking out at the city below, "The streets are waiting for me" he said to himself, he felt ready to serve his country, protect the innocents and punish murderers including his best friend's family. He felt a sense of pride and excitement at the thought of putting on his uniform on Monday and hitting the streets for the first time as a fully fledged police officer. Just then he heard a knock at the door, he had just moved in and had no friends around that would want to visit him at this time of the day. "Who is it?" He asked, making no attempt to check it out, "A partially homeless person who needs a place to spend a day or two or half an hour depending on how long you want him to stay officer-" "Jay?" Damian asked, surprised to hear Jalen's voice "what're you doing here?" He interrogated as he opened the door for him to come in "Nothing just wanted to come by first before heading home. You know I'm in Kingstown right, and it's a bit far from here so... I was wondering if maybe I could crash in here for today, sorry I didn't call" Jalen explained, dropping his bag on the edge of the bed, "Augh! Come on mahn, my house your house, you don't have to apologize, besides, it's boring in here without a girlfriend" Damian said, jokingly. The two laughed and hugged, then having a seat Jalen said "I could be your girlfriend, just gotta buy me more pizza every hour" Damian laughed and kicked his belly with a weak blow and replied "Hell no! I won't date a police man with rock hard ass" the two continued with the happy moment until a thought hit Jalen while Damian serving him with water "You live alone right?" He asked "Yeah, why?" Damian asked in return, "Why not come with me tomorrow to spend a day or two with my family, I'm sure you'll love it, come on champ, don't say no?" Jalen requested, persuasively. Damian's heart began to beat much louder that he was sure Jalen could hear it, a mixture of surprise, excitement and fear took charge over his whole being as he felt the heavens were finally answering his prayers. He would have screamed his joy out if it were not for Jalen standing just a meter away. "Sure, not like I have somewhere to be, I'll go with you" Damian answered, deep down his thoughts, the answer he wanted to give was 'Thank you for making life easy' for his heart was filled with gratitude, but as much as he wanted to say it, he had to be discrete and cautious, acting as normal as he could.