[Conception - Solo]


Sergeant Adams had not shown up for duty that day.

Daniyah was scheduled to meet with him promptly after classes to discuss her registration and degree completion requirements at the DCU Student Union. A military daughter, a sense of promptness and respect for schedules was instilled in her from a very early age. She was internally overjoyed at the prospect of becoming an engineer with the military, following in the prestigious footsteps of her father. She hoped to develop new technology to aid in national security and to perhaps alleviate even a modicum of the racial tension felt between the average American and someone of Middle Eastern descent.

When waiting at their designated table near the open-air cafe proved fruitless, Daniyah was incensed. She immediately made for the recruiting table at the opposite side of the Student Union to lodge a formal complaint - reiterating her expectations of promptness and respect she’d come to learn from her father. Both the remaining Sergeants at the table - Lehr and Reinhardt, could not offer a reasonable explanation for Adams’ disappearance.

“He was scheduled to report at 0900 hours and failed to arrive. It’s not like Adams to just… not show up.”

One doesn’t reach the rank of Sergeant and receive a post to recruit others without proper punctuality.

Hardly concealing her rampant anger with their incompetence, Daniyah made the decision to return home and speak to her father about this. Perhaps he knew who best to contact to report the actions of Adams, Lehr and Reinhardt. Brushing past the gathering crowds for lunch, some of the students parted like oil on water at the Turkish woman’s approach. Her severe gaze birthed whispered theories, most of which weren’t worth paying any mind. Nearing the main double doors of the Student Union, Daniyah had to stop due to the increasing crowd coming in. It was then that she heard two young women speaking at a table to her right.

“You know those crazy gang members? I saw some of them last night, out of the dorm window. There was this cute military guy out there, you know, near the parking lot? I’m up on the fifth floor but girl if I could throw my a** down the stairs and jump that boy MMM. Love a man in a uniform---”

“Darnelle, c’mon.” Her companion laughed, playfully slapping her upper arm. “You’re makin’ it all up. Were you high last night? Everybody knows the whole gang member s**t’s made up by the media.”

“NO, not this time. There were two hoes out there, dressed in black, they got all up in Army’s face and took him off someplace. I couldn’t see it but if I see them hoes again, you best bet I’d break ‘em in half. You can’t just jiggle the girls at somebody and carry ‘em off. They weren’t even CUTE---”

“Darnelle, you jiggle the girls. Don’t tell me that wasn’t how you got a date with Dustin.”

“Whatever. At least I’m cute and you know the boys love them the thick booty--”

Daniyah forcibly wedged herself into the conversation, metaphorically-speaking, brushing past the edges of the crush of people entering the Student Union. “Excuse me.” she said, standing stock-straight as one in the military might do. Her severe expression seemed shocking to the complete strangers she’d just asserted herself to. “I’m looking for Sergeant Adams. He failed to show up to meet me today. I overheard you speaking of seeing him last night. Was it a redhead you saw, ma’am?”

The woman who spoke more often, Darnelle, regarded Daniyah with a half-disgusted and half-surprised look. Who does this hoe think she is, just bargin’ in here? “...yeah, you had a date with him, girlfriend? He’s cute but… I don’t think he’s your type.”

“I’m not interested in a date, ma’am. It’s important that I find him. Which parking lot did you see him last?”

Darnelle scoffed. “You military too, honey?” She jerked a thumb towards the east end of campus. “Manderlee Hall, you know, the real tall building with the circle-windows. Out by Lot 405. Prolly around 11.”

The Turkish woman nodded sternly and turned on her heels. She had a mission. “Thank you for the information, ma’am.” She was already formulating a plan of investigation. With classes finished for the day, she had ample time to try and suss out the disappearance of Sergeant Adams. Working her way back through the crowd, shaking off the bumps and nudges with focused determination, Daniyah disappeared.

Darnelle couldn’t help but laugh. “Girl that hoe’s got a stick up her a**…”


Words: 765