The South Side
By: Phil Olson
Tags: Short Story, Flash Fiction, Danger, Crime Fiction, Corruption

He had been on the beat for fifteen years. The south side was a dirty place. Hookers lined the corners alongside the drug dealers and murderers for hire. Daily, bloody fights for territory were a common occurrence. It had the look of a war zone with all of the dilapidated buildings, bullet holes in the street signs, and the local gangs and other riff-raff openly conducting their business. Most cops would quit rather than patrol this neighborhood. Not old Chucky, though.

Chucky started down in the war zone, as it was affectionately known, when he was twenty-two, he was now thirty-seven but looked every day of sixty. He had won more shootouts then the entirety of the police force combined had ever seen. Chucky had also taken more bullets then he could count. He found a way to survive down here though.

At first, he did not like bending the law but now he brazenly broke the law to keep the peace. The gun battles began to dwindle over the last two years, as Chucky’s morals crumbled. He brokered deals between rival gangs and made solo gung-ho busts on new gangs trying to encroach on the area. He had become something like a mayor to the people of the South Side. He also became addicted to the lifestyle.

The Chief did not like what had happened to Chucky. He even offered him a promotion to get him off the streets. The promotion would have put him behind a desk making a lofty salary. Without hesitation, Chucky turned it down and The Chief was concerned.

Bodies had been turning up on the North Side lately. The bodies were not just turning up though; they were placed with a purpose, almost as if to send a message. The Chief did not want the problems of the South Side scum on his side of town. Even more so, he did not want one of his own involved; he was afraid Chucky was in a bit too deep.

The Chief figured it was time to take a trip to the South Side. He found Chucky down on the corner talking with the whores. The Chief stood on the opposite corner observing. Chucky seemed very friendly with the prostitutes. A man cockily walked around the corner and shook hands with Chucky. It seemed that the guy handed something over. Chucky laughed and joked with the guy then crossed the road. The Chief decided to tail him for a while to see what was going on.

Several blocks later Chucky strolled up to a house, kicked a door in and The Chief heard four shots crack through the silent air. A truck pulled up shortly after; three guys jumped out and helped Chucky drag the bodies to the back. The guys in the truck left while Chucky crossed the road.

The Chief snuck up behind him giving him quite a start.

“Damn boss you scared me! What’re you doing down here? Where’s your car?” Chucky asked.

“I came down here to see why bodies are popping up on the North Side.” The Chief replied.

“I mean we’ve got the violence down but it’s not perfect yet.” Said a nervous sounding Chucky. “Things happen down here boss and I can only do so much but it’s getting better.”

The Chief started, “I want you to know something. I know what you did, I know what you’ve been doing.”

“I’ve been doing what I was sent here to do and that’s clean this mess up. I don’t see anyone else down here doing it, especially you. This is the first time I’ve seen you down here in eight or so years. I’m not always proud of the way I have to do things but it’s gotta get done!” Chucky said as he started wondering how much The Chief had seen.

“Oh, I don’t give a damn about the killing, the deal-making, the lawbreaking. What I do care about is my boys.” The Chief said in an ominous, almost threatening manner.

Chucky was confused, “What do you mean your boys? No cops have been getting killed down here. I’m the only cop with the balls to be here.”

“Not the uniforms, my boys. The ones you or your friends have been killing and sticking on my side of town. We need more territory, our operation is expanding.” The Chief explained.

It just was not clicking for Chucky. He did not know where The Chief was headed with this. The Chief pulled his gun from his holster. He shot Chucky once in each knee. Chucky fell to the ground, in disbelief.

“The North Side gangs decided on a sort of peace treaty last week. They’ve been getting into business down here but now they’re being sent back dead. Like I said, we need more room and you have not been letting that happen. So thanks for your years of service with the force.” The Chief explained, then raised his gun and shot Chucky between the eyes.