When the sun came up at last, Cheryl was sitting with her legs dangling in the warm summer ocean. The carbine sat at her left as the waves washed over her toes.

Memories of a happier time swept over Cheryl as the water took her back through the vortex of time.

“Finished that sand castle yet?”

“No daddy. Still building.”

The twelve year old from Washington DC smiled as her father sat beside her.

“What do you want to do with your life?”

Cheryl thought for a moment.

“The police force is my love father.”

The father was pleased with this reply.

“I’ve been a cop for twenty years love and it is no place for my darling daughter.”

Cheryl placed the last turret to her sand castle and stood up.

“I’ll be okay daddy. You worry too much.”

The parent smiled as his wife ran over with ice cream.

“I hope you brought one for our daughter.”

The woman smiled.

“Of course I did love. Here is yours Cheryl.”

The young girl took it and starting licking frantically, before the hot Carolina sun had a chance to melt it.

“I see the castle is complete,” her mom said.

Cheryl watched as the soft waves lapped at the edges of her beautiful creation.

“The damn sea will soon destroy it though mom.”

The father laughed.

“You really cannot blame the ocean for that love.”

Then he turned to his gorgeous wife.

“Your daughter wants to follow in my footsteps.”

The mom took this news rather badly.

“I’m not having two in the force. I worry enough as it is.”

“Can I play with your gun daddy?”

“I don’t have it as you well know.”

“She must think that she’s sixteen,” the mother whispered.

Cheryl did not understand this change in conversation.

“Why sixteen?”

Her loving father leaned over to explain.

“Family rule love. Firearms are not toys and I won’t teach you to
use one till then.”

“That’s not fair. Eleanor’s dad allows her to shoot.”

The father shook his head.

“Then he is an idiot. Far too many kids accidentally gun down their siblings.”

“I’ll be careful,” Cheryl said.

The father picked her up as the cream rolled down her lips.

“No is my final answer love. A magnum 2.2 is no play thing you know.”

“Listen to your father love. He knows best.”

Cheryl was carefully put down as the sea washed against her sand creation. She watched as the base collapsed and the ocean broke through. Her loving father pointed.

“See what I mean?”

Cheryl finished her cone and glanced around at the beach with its happy sunbathers.

“Why do they come here?”

Her father answered in a child’s way.

“To enjoy the warmth and the freedom. I remember Kennedy you know and sixty-two.”

The child glanced up.

“What happened then?”

The mom flashed a warning glance that the cop ignored.

“The Soviets deployed missiles and nuclear mines on Cuba in order to threaten Kennedy. Let’s just say that the Soviet leadership went a little mad.”

The mother turned away at the awful memory.

“The night after the historic broadcast, myself and mummy made passionate love because we did not expect to be alive at dawn.”

“Oh I see,” the young girl said.

The father shook his head.

“I don’t think you quite understand love.”

“Shall we go over there?”

The loving husband saw his wife pointing to the nearby slot box and smiled.

“Fancy playing the dime slot machines Cheryl?”

The young girl smiled.

“I would love to daddy.”

He held her close as they padded over the soft and golden sand.

The slot box was really an arcade built just off the beach, and when they entered, the quietness was a bit of light relief for the happy family.

“What machine do you want to play?” the mother asked.

Cheryl mulled it over. After all, there were so many.

“How about that one daddy?”

He led her over to the one-armed bandit and put a dime into it.

“Pull the lever then darling.”

She did and watched as the reels rolled over.

“Awe...I never won.”

The mother laughed loudly.

“That is the way of life sweetheart.”

After daddy had put another dime into the hungry machine, Cheryl tried again. Imagine for one moment her amazement as three dollars rolled into view.

“She damn well hit the jackpot!” the father yelled.

They watched as twenty dollars rolled into the bottom tray and Cheryl gasped.

“Did I win that?”

“You sure did darling,” the father whispered.

“I want to buy you both a meal on this.”

The happy parents smiled at the unexpected suggestion.

“I’ll put it into your savings account,” the father said removing the gleaming coins.

As he handed the coins to his loving wife, a young armed hoodlum entered and began waving a firearm at the cashier.

“Just hand the cash over and no one will be hurt.”

The doting father pushed his daughter over to the mom and watched from the machine.

“You can’t do anything,” his wife reminded him.

“You just watch me.”

He made a rapid calculation and edged forward.

“Hurry it up,” the robber ordered as the cashier tried to fill the cash bag.

“I’m going as fast as I can.”

The off duty officer reached the last machine that stood between himself and the criminal.

“Now the second bag please.”

As the cashier started filling it, the officer struck hard.

He darted forward and hit the gun arm, sending the firearm flying.
The young man managed to swing his closed fist and struck the cop upon the chin. As he crashed backward, the criminal made a dash for his weapon.

The father threw himself at him and wrestled the chap to the floor.

“Oh no you damn well don’t mate!” the officer shouted.

As he tried to smash the young man’s face with his fist, fingers grasped at the butt of the gun and closed around it.

The young man twisted and managed to toss the cop off before pushing the barrel in between his eyes.

The father simply stared coldly as the weapon went off.

Cheryl put her hands over her little mouth before dashing forward as the criminal dashed empty handed from the scene.

“Someone call 911,” the mom screamed as the daughter knelt beside the bleeding man.

“Daddy! Daddy, what’s wrong?”

The mom saw Cheryl shake him as blood poured onto the girl’s new dress.

“Daddy...Wake up!”

The mom came forward gently and pulled her away as the cashier dashed over.

“I’ve phoned 911 mam.”

The mother cradled her daughter who suddenly started screaming wildly.

“DADDY!!!!!!!!!!!”
...
Cheryl stood up at last, gazing toward the ocean and shook her head at the fading memory.

“This won’t do...”

A mist seemed to rise from the waves and a figure stood amongst the swishing brine.

“Daddy?”

The loving image nodded and stepped onto the soft sand.

“Hello daughter.”

She smiled, tears streaming down her gentle cheeks.

“Are you really here?”

“Of course Cheryl.”

She felt herself reel suddenly.

“I need to sit down.”

The figure advanced and watched as she sat quickly.

“Your mom sends her love sweetheart.”

Through the tears of sorrow, Cheryl nodded.

“You have to write everything down darling,” the father insisted.

“What do you mean by that?”

“There is little time left you know. Someone has to record this global tragedy.”

Cheryl tried to get her confused mind around this idea.

“Who’ll listen daddy?”

“We will darling.”

“And me.”

Cheryl heard the voice but could not bring herself to turn.

“Trying to ignore me are you? After all this time too.”

The former cop turned her head slowly and saw Mandy sitting beside her.

“You weren’t meant to die here.”

“How do you know,” her late friend replied.

“This really is not right.”

Her father shook his head.

“If you don’t record this my dear no one will.”

Cheryl was about to reply when he faded from view.

“Daddy!”

Cheryl sprang to her feet and noticed that she was alone once more.

A voice from the rear made her react at once.

The cop reached down and grabbed the carbine.

A panicked Spanish voice rang out as the trigger was touched.

“Don’t ever do that.”

The trooper nodded and in broken English said, “We are pulling out now.”

“You speak English?”

The trooper nodded.

“I’m the only one though. I’m Fronter.”

Cheryl smiled and introduced herself. As they formally shook hands, he pointed to the bluffs.

“We really should head back to Havana you know.”

“There is nothing for me there.”

The trooper shook his head and said, “There is something for everyone now.”