“Places, everyone! Are we ready… alright, people! We’re live in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…”
The studio lights dimmed as the familiar jingle signaled the start of “City Watch,” the popular TV show that dissected the latest happenings in Sima Hills each week. Seated around the sleek, high-tech table, the show’s host, Kwami Apprey, and his indefatigable panel of journalists readied themselves for another passionate talk about the recent events in the city before an eager audience.
At the top of the list was the recent murders by Doomblade.
The panel had raised issues about this dangerous being’s ways previously, growing more and more repulsed by his brazen approach to ‘dealing with criminals and officers of the law’. The recent murder of that suspected robber and the policeman was the last straw for a couple of them, and judging by their promises on their social media accounts, tonight was set to be an explosive episode.
Kwami, the show’s host, leaned forward with a serious expression. “Good evening, Sima Hills, and welcome to another edition of City Watch. This is the show that dissects the weekly events in our city. My name is Kwami Apprey, your evergreen host, and as always, I have my panel of equally evergreen journalists: Diana Adade, Mawuli Debrah, Adepa Abaidoo, and Shadrach Gardiner. Let’s get straight into the agenda for tonight, shall we?
“First on our list, we’re going to discuss a figure who has captured the city’s attention yet again for all the wrong reasons…Doomblade. A so-called vigilante who once sought to use his abilities to assist our dedicated security forces to combat crime, he now has proven beyond any reasonable doubt that he is in fact, not a good person at all. It is common knowledge by now that he struck again, killing yet another police officer while he was arresting an armed robber. Let’s dive into the details…”
As he briefly outlined the details of the recent gruesome murders, the panelists all had grim expressions on their faces, as did most of the members of the audience. At this point, they had had enough of Doomblade.
“Diana, what are your thoughts on this?”
Diana, a seasoned investigative journalist, leaned forward. “Thank you, Kwami. It’s beyond comprehension that someone would want to even try and justify these actions. Doomblade’s descent into depravity is not just shocking; it’s a betrayal of the very ethos he once claimed to uphold. This man, if we can even call him that, has blatantly murdered police officers who were in the line of duty, protecting our community. If I’m not mistaken, this is the tenth officer! The tenth! What message is he sending? That the law means nothing? That those who enforce it are fair game for him?”
She paused for a moment, her eyes scanning the audience. “Why does he think that killing those who uphold the law is ‘worth it’? Is it some twisted sense of justice, or is this just the act of a madman who’s lost sight of any moral compass? It’s maddening, and disgusting. We’ve watched him slip through the fingers of justice time and again. His abilities make him elusive, almost untouchable, and this only fuels his audacity. We need to do something, and fast!”
Mawuli, a seasoned crime reporter, interjected, “That’s the scary thing about him. It’s as if he’s become judge, jury, and executioner all in one. A law unto himself. And that just isn’t right. It’s not. I mean, what do we have due process for? Is it not to deal with criminals? We can’t condone this kind of behavior, regardless of ‘good intentions’, and I use that term very loosely, because it’s clear they aren’t that good. Doomblade is not above the law, and Sima Hills deserves better.”
Shadrach, a legal analyst and the newest addition to the panel, raised an eyebrow. “Agreed. It’s important to note that vigilantism is illegal in this part of the world, even if the intention is to fight crime. This isn’t some comic book fantasy with Batman and Superman and the like. This is real life; the ones tasked to fight crime are the police force. Period. That’s why in recruiting his services, they simply got him to capture the criminals before they came on the scene to arrest. It was never meant to be anything more than that.”
The discussion intensified as each panelist dissected Doomblade’s recent activities and descended upon him heavily. Ten minutes of ripping him apart, and Kwami turned to the live audience, gauging their reactions, before focusing on Adepa, another journalist, to round up the discussion. “Adepa, as we end this segment, you’ve been particularly vocal about this issue on social media recently. What’s your final take on this whole Doomblade scandal?”
Adepa’s eyes flashed with intensity as she took a deep breath and turned to the cameras. “Kwami, at this point, I have a message for the one we’re talking about. Doomblade, the next couple of words from my mouth are all directed to you.”
The audience quieted down, anticipating a brutal takedown from the fiery journalist.
“Now listen to me! What you’re doing is not justice; it’s murder. It’s evil; pure, cold-blooded evil. You’ve taken the law into your own hands, deciding who lives and who dies, and for what? To play hero in a city that doesn’t need your dark brand of salvation. You’ve crossed a line, Doomblade, and you should be ashamed of yourself! Shame on you!
“The people of Sima Hills didn’t sign up for your horrid brand of vigilante justice. They didn’t ask for some masked figure with some special abilities to decide their fate and execute those they deem unworthy. Our society has laws, courts, and due process for a reason: to ensure justice is served fairly. Not by the whims of one sick, psychopathic man. Shame on you!
“You’ve made yourself judge, jury, and executioner, but who gave you that right? Not us the citizens, not the law, not anyone with any moral standing. You’ve turned this city into your personal battlefield, and all the blood on your hands is not the mark of a hero but of an evil, bloodthirsty tyrant! Shame on you!
“For every life you’ve taken, every family you’ve left in mourning, every moment you’ve stripped away the chance for redemption or rehabilitation, you’ve only added to the cycle of violence. You’re not cleaning up the streets as you think you are; you’re staining them further with more blood and more fear. Your actions scream of pure arrogance, of this… this belief that you are above the law, above us all. But you’re not, and let me tell you right now, Sima Hills, our communities, and our people, deserve better than this. Hang your head in shame, Doomblade; you’re a stain on this city, and we all want you gone! Shame on you, Doomblade! Shame on you! Leave Sima Hills and never come back!”
The audience erupted into passionate applause, with the other panelists joining in. No doubt about it, everybody connected deeply with Adepa’s sentiments. She had spoken on behalf of the entire city, and only a supremely twisted person would disagree with her.
Once the applause died down, Kwami solemnly addressed the audience. “Well, I believe Adepa has said it all. It’s clear that the city demands that the right thing be done, and we hope this danger to our society will soon be caught and dealt with accordingly. We’ll continue to follow all updates concerning this story and keep you informed. Let us move on to the next topic for the evening…”
***
Thirty minutes later, and the “City Watch” studio was buzzing with activity as the team wrapped up the episode. The audience had departed, and so were the panelists. As Adepa gathered her belongings and bid farewell to the others as well as the crew, the energy from the show still coursing through her veins. She adjusted the strap of her bag and made her way towards the exit.
Shadrach Gardiner, who had visited the loo, stepped out just in time to see her leaving. He quickly caught up with her just outside the studio doors.
“Hey, Adepa,” he called out, a genuine smile on his face.
Adepa turned to him, and returned the smile, but with a rather tired look. “Hey, Shadrach. You good?”
Shadrach hesitated for a moment, then cleared his throat. “Yeah, yeah, I’m good. Uh… I just wanted to say… your-your passion on the show tonight was truly something. Concerning the Doomblade issue. Really inspiring and powerful.”
Adepa, appreciating the compliment, grinned. “Thank you, Shadrach. We’re all in this together, you know. So we need to speak the truth.”
“Yeah,” Shadrach nodded, “no two ways about that. We’re all tired of this monster tormenting us. Umm, speaking of being together, I was wondering… if you’d be interested in… you know, grabbing a coffee or dinner sometime. You know, since I joined the panel not too long ago…”
Adepa chuckled, looking a bit surprised but pleased. “Well, Shadrach, I think that sounds like a good idea. We should get to know each other a bit more.”
Shadrach’s nervous smile transformed into a genuinely delighted one. “Really? That’s awesome. How about I give you a call and we can figure out the details?”
“Sure, sure.” Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a card and quickly scribbled her number on the back. “Here you go,” she nodded, handing it to him. “Hit me up one of these days, and we can plan something.”
Shadrach accepted the card with gladness. “Absolutely, Adepa. Looking forward to it.”
As they chatted a bit more on the just-ended episode, the parking lot gradually emptied. Adepa, signaling the end of their conversation, headed towards her car with Shadrach accompanying her.
“Well, I guess this is my stop,” Adepa announced, unlocking her car door.
Shadrach nodded, a touch of nervousness returning. “Yeah, thanks for the chat, Adepa. I’ll definitely give you a call.”
“Looking forward to it,” she replied with a warm smile.
As Adepa drove off, Shadrach waved, filled with a good mix of excitement and anticipation. It had been a good night: a passionate discussion on all things pertaining to his beloved city, and an opportunity to talk with the strong-willed lady he could feel he was developing an attraction for…
Mmmm, are we witnessing the beginnings of a little romance between panelists? That should be interesting. And by the way, that was a really heavy rebuke from Adepa to Doomblade!
