A City Called Nowhere

I actually wrote this for AP English back in March, one of two works from then I'll be posting here.

Foolish. The only way to describe this awful place is simply foolish. The people are greedy, violent fools. The buildings, from this simple little dock, appeared with only slight variations. The shorter, stickier buildings were stingy and cringe-inducingly boring, while the taller, thinner buildings with there spiked caps pierced the sky in a desperate cry for attention. I looked down into the water, then back up at the sky, the only things that ever change.

Almost as if the universe wanted to end my despair, I felt somebody place their hand on my shoulder and sit next to me. I looked to my right and saw the only person in the city who hated it as much as I did. "I'd find you here all the time, when we were younger, we'd throw stones into the river. When we'd be spotted by the old fishermen, we'd outrun them all the way back to Little China." We laughed for awhile. "Your parents still own the Jade Star?" "And it's still the best place to get good Chinese food."

What could I say about Yuki and I other than we've known each other forever. She's from Tokyo, from a .moderately wealthy family. She's a brilliant writer, and because she knows both English and Japanese, she's one of the most popular bachelorettes in Little China. "Hey Frankie, you know what those really tall buildings look like?"
"Must you make such inappropriate remarks?"
"It's fitting for such a dirty city."
"Vile, corrupt, perverse, evil..."
"All of the above, I've got some great news."
"Oh?"
"Remember Grandfather Yao?"
"Your grandfather, not mine."
"Not yet." We both laugh. "He's coming here, says has great news, says it's so important, he's keeping it a surprise until he gets here."
"Why don't you move back east with him?"
"Isn't it obvious? Want to head to the Jade Star?"
"Sure."

After a long and painful walked through the city we both loathed, we reached the little Chinese restaurant Yuki's parents currently owned. It was a quaint, cozy little place crammed with oriental ornaments. "Yuki! Is that you? It's closing time, where have you been?" A scornful voice yelled from the back.
"Sorry I'm late, I brought Frankie to help."
"Oh Ming! Frankie came back with our daughter." The scornful voice turned into a more delighted one.
"Oh Takashi, what I tell you, I told you he keep that girl out of trouble!" A more feminine voice shouted from the back.

After several minutes and some arguments in a language that left me confounded and Yuki blushing wildly. The elderly couple came out to the front of the restaurant. Takashi and Ming were... Let's just say the Apple didn't fall far from the tree.

"Hello mister and misses..."
"Oh no please Frankie, no need to be so formal."
"Dad come on."
"Your daughter's right my love, they aren't married yet."
"Mom!"
"That's not what you were thinking at the docks Yuki."
Oh Takashi, they went to the docks where they first met. I bet it looked beautiful with the sun setting!"
"No, no, no. He bring her there to go skinny dipping."
"Dad! No! That's just awful!" I laughed along with Yuki's parents at the lewd remarks. Yuki punched me in the arm and we all laughed.
"So have you heard about my father coming to visit Takashi?"
"Yao is coming? I bet it's to give Frankie his blessing."
"I bet Grandfather is coming to tell me my writing was a huge hit back east."
"Don't get your hopes up Yuki. All the professional writers nowadays are all about that lovey dovey stuff."
"What's that suppose to mean? My mother and father don't think I can write a romance?"
"Not the way you hit poor Frankie."
"She's a fine writer, but if she'd stop beating me up that'd be fantastic!" She jabbed my arm again and we all laughed.

After helping Yuki and her parents clean up and close shop, I bade farewell and walked back home to my apartment in the side of town that made Little China look like a sanctuary. Outside my apartment, all that could be seen was the tragic depression this city created for those who struggle to make ends meat. I decided it would further beseech me if I kept thinking about it, but I couldn't help but think there's got to be someplace better.

I managed to get about an hour of sleep and woke up suddenly to the sound of gunshots outside, I could care less who shot who for what, it's always the same lame reason for committing murder, same pathetic life sentence in jail for the killer and the same sappy memorial for the dead. It doesn't do me any good to worry about it. I tried to go to sleep but the phone rang, and I answered without checking the ID.
"I'm trying to sleep, what do you want?"
"Frankie, it's Delarosa, he got shot."
"Oh, you mean Delarosa the gangster or Delarosa the landlord?"
"Ha ha, very funny. No, I mean He was shot. You know who, don't believe my voice turn on the TV!"
I jumped out of bed and turned on the TV, the news was showing a play-by-play of a man getting shot. "You heard it here first! Wanted criminal infamously known as..." The visual was enough for me as I turned off the TV and got back on the phone with Delarosa.
"Well Frankie, how you feel knowing the guy who offed your familia's goin under the dirt?"
"At least something interesting happened."
"So uh... this makes us even right?"
"Listen, I pay the rent by taking care of your screwups with the mob, if Andre wasn't my cousin, they would've never found the guy."
"The Don's your uncle! Why didn't you tell me?"
"Andre and the Don didn't want me getting involved."
"I don't believe it."
"I don't care, one word of this and your done, kapish?"
"I hear ya, I hear ya. But rent is on me this month."

Delarosa was, in all meanings of the word, an assistant, but he knew how to play the game. It was a game I could care less about, but to each their own, I guess. I rarely used ties to gang members for personal gain, but when my parents were killed five years ago, I couldn't help myself. Me and Andre got close after my folks passed, hooked me up with this place and let me keep the insurance money. 'All too traceable' he said, oh well, meant an easy million for Frankie. Since then, I keep busy doing whatever legitimate work Delarosa needs done in exchange for free housing. But with this scum dead, I knew the inevitable call would come from Andre, then the phone rang, he was laughing like a hyena. "Bro, it's been too long. Del keeping the lights on for ya?"
"It's fine Andre, what do you want?"
"This.guys funeral is three days from now and I heard Yuki was the guy's next hit."
"What time?"
"Noon."
"I'll be there."
"Glad we understand."
He hung up, and I put the phone back on the nightstand. I was too tired to deal with Andre or Yuki, so I fell asleep.

The next day I went down to the Jade Star and helped prepare for Grandfather Yao. When the ancient man walked into the festivities, I couldn't believe how happy he was. Aside from his favor of the celebration, there was another matter we needed to discuss.
"Yuki, listen to me. You should know why I came here. The thing is, your novel went over quite well with the publishers back east, and have sold half a million copies throughout the country."
"That's wonderful Grandfather! I..."
"Aye! There is more! I need to know if you would be willing to move back to Tokyo and write more... traditional writing."
"Grandfather. I'd be honored to. It's just..."
"Say no more child of mine, Frankie! We must talk, in private..."
I escorted Yao to the back of the building, and the rest of the family stepped out front. "Listen to me Frankie, my associates have been keeping an eye on you, we.know about what's about to go down with you and Andre."
"What! How do you already know?"
"I've been keeping a close eye on everything revolving around my kin here in the city, and as far as I see it, the best thing to do is take off Frankie, I'll take care of it for you, for a price." The old man smiled as he uttered those words.
"I have a better idea. Frankly, I bet any money the Don will accompany Andre to the funeral, I say I rat them out, take the money on there heads and get out of dodge with you and Yuki."
"You are wise beyond your years, much like my young blossom Yuki, she'd never leave without you. She's willing to marry, bare children, and die for you..." his voice carried such power, as if the words themselves were pounded into my very soul as the old man stared straight into it. I could only nod in agreement. We plotted the capture of my own cousin, whose own foolish, violent, greedy, selfishness made being part of this business sound logical, and the uncle that brought me in when my parents died. Taking the bounties on there heads sounded greedy, but if Andre was seriously pulling me into this game, he would find out why it'll be the mistake he would never forget.

I walked into the police station and demanded to see the chief. Inspector Dahl, the man in charge, was as blue collared as the boys in blue get, but worked behind the scenes to avoid recognition from the wrong crowd. He was calm and collected when I first played eyes on him.
"So.what can the police department do for you?"
"You want Don Hydelide and his second in command?"
"How do you think I'm supposed to believe such a thing?"
"They got a bit on me." A believable lie, at least I hoped.it was a lie.
"Just tell.us how we can get them."
"Tomorrow at the funeral of the gang man that was gunned down the other day."
"We'll bring the bounty money, you bring the bad guys. Though it may take some time for.us to get the fifty million together."
"The money isn't as important right now, but I will expect you to.be there tomorrow. See you at the funeral Inspector."

I returned to the apartment and told him to.meet me the next morning, but I could barely sleep, the sounds of the city only made me think of Andre and the funeral, the trouble I'd be in if the police never show, how Yuki and her family would be in trouble and what Yao told me, thankfully I got a call.
"It's Yao on a throwaway. I'm getting everyone out of here tomorrow night, peony of time for you.to take care of everything. Heed my advice, don't let the cops in too early, the gangsters will get supicious when the Fed's are around, we want them in and out before things get dicey. Last thing before I go, for Yuki's sake... Just don't die."
"I understand Yao, I won't fail." We both hung up, the less time we spent on the phone talking about our plan the better.

Delarosa rang the doorbell early in the morning, when I opened the door, Andre was holding him at gunpoint, and shot him in the head, killing him instantly. "Ready for the funeral?"
"Let me get dressed."
"Try anything and Yuki is next."
"I heard you the first time." I checked my phone, I got a text from Yao explaining the family was informed of the situation, and was at a safe house now, Andre's bluff was a joke, but I still got dressed and headed for the funeral.

Very few people attended the funeral, it started raining. I hated outdoor funerals in the rain, they always meant trouble, and Andre could tell I was nervous. It made him arrogant, and I planned to take advantage of that arrogance. He was so accustomed to getting his way, he couldn't have ever, in his wildest dreams, believe his own kin would betray him.

"This scum killed our family, I'm glad he's dead."
"I'll be glad when this is all behind us."
"We need someone as ruthless as you to lead the gang, you know that, I know that, your Dad knew..."
"Dad never wanted me to go down this road."
The smug jerk laughed in my face, the disgusting grin was sickening to watch as the rain poured down as the Don sat there chanting to himself "Kill my sister and her man, and hide for five years, we finally got you..."
"So Frankie, ready to make the change?"
I saw the inspector out of the corner of my eye and said to my foolish cousin. "I'm sorry, but you should know, I will not change for this foolish city or join.your foolish gang, and you know what else, this was a setup Andre."

Police moved in quickly to apprehend the gangsters, Andre was curious that he had been had in such fashion. He could curse me all he wanted, I got they bounties, and I rushed to the airport, where I would meet Yuki and the family. I thought not of the risks, I made my fortune and would escape the city with the woman I loved.

When I got to the airport Yuki held me tight and sobbed into my chest, her parents shocked to see me. They were shocked to see their future son in law face such odds and come.out with enough.money for several.lifetimes. Yao looked at me and we exchanged bows, "I'd be honored to call you grandson."
"I... I do wish to be together Frankie." Yuki blushed as we passionately embraced.

*International Flight 777 to Japan a now leaving*

Yuki and I rushed everyone onto the plane. We couldn't believe we were finally escaping this awful city, we couldn't believe we got so much for playing the risky game of this foolish city, and we couldn't believe we would be spending our lives living the good life. It was such a grand, joyful occasion, I took a photo of the city from the plane as we flew off, taking the love of my life and her family as far away from it as possible.

Finally out of the foolish city.
A City Called Nowhere.
The end.

Author's Note

Was an AP paper I wrote, my teacher loved it. So.I figure I post it and see what happens. I handwritten it so typing it sucked, but tell me if it was good. Critique is always nice too, I'll post my other story in chapters, since it took 3 hours to type this up and the other one is double, and I plan to work more on the other one, maybe make a novel out of it. But for now enjoy this.