A Bewildering Image
When he saw that little girl wandering around the streets in the middle of the night, all by herself, he couldn’t help but wonder what was going on. How come no one had reported it? Where were her parents?
So he decided to get closer to find out what the issue was. And when he saw her face, he couldn’t contain a gasp. Now he understood everything. He had to act fast.
Maximillian Roberts
Maximillian Roberts had been working for the Chicago Police Department for almost fifteen years. He loved his job: not only did he never have the chance to get bored, but he also felt like he was working every day to do the right thing and help his community.
However, there was another reason why law enforcement had always been an attractive career path for him. It was something not many people, not even his closest colleagues, were aware of.
A Secretive Man
Roberts didn’t really like to talk about his past or his personal life that much. Only some selected few in the Police Department knew about a certain part of his life that, for the most part, he preferred to keep confidential.
Unbeknownst to many, there was an aspect of Roberts’ background that had played a major role in his decision to become a police officer.
Troubled Past
Maximillian Roberts was an orphan: he lost both of his parents at a very young age. He couldn’t even remember anything about them, as they weren’t too present in his life even when they were alive.
Both of them had substance abuse problems, which made them unable to properly take care of their kid. They had passed away when Roberts was just 3 years old, and the kid had been in foster care ever since then. Would things get better for little Maximillian after that?
Trauma
No matter how hard he tried to overcome his traumatic past, he could just feel that he would never be like the other kids. The street life had taken his parents away from him, and that was something he could never change.
So when he turned ten years old, Roberts took a decision that would shape the rest of his life, including his encounter with the little girl.
Maximillian’s Decision
He decided to dedicate all his talents and efforts to becoming a police officer. He wanted to do everything he could to eradicate crime and the sort of problems that his parents had been suffering from.
Getting into law enforcement would be the best way to ensure that no kid would ever have to go through the same as him. Or that’s what he thought.
A Quiet Night
The night Maximillian found that girl wandering around the streets all alone had been relatively uneventful up until that moment.
The officer was just patrolling the streets with one of his colleagues. For a couple of hours, their radio had been absolutely silent. This was quite an unusual occurrence, and the pair was wondering if something was wrong at the station.
It Was Unusual
For the Chicago Police Department officers, a quiet night like that was pretty much unheard of. In a way, a scenario where nothing seemed to be wrong was almost like a surefire sign that there was something very wrong.
The pair was starting to get iffy. Could there be some trouble with the stations’ communication channels? And suddenly, they saw it.
Wandering Alone
They saw Emily, that little girl walking through the streets of Chicago, all by herself, in the middle of the night. She couldn’t be older than three years old.
She was just wandering at a slow pace; she didn’t seem to be walking in any specific direction. Also, her parents didn’t seem to be anywhere around. What was going on?
They Stopped
Maximillian told his partner to stop the car. He decided to get out, approach the girl, and see if she was in distress. As he walked closer and closer to her, his heart was racing as he prayed that the situation wouldn’t be too bad.
Finally, he got next to her and had a chance to look at her from a closer distance. He then saw her face, and he felt his stomach drop.
The Girl’s Face
The girl’s face was blank and expressionless. Instantly, Maximillian recognized what that meant: it was the very image of a child who had seen terrible things and was feeling lost and in despair.
Right then, the officer knew he had to do something. He asked the girl where she lived. The girl pointed at a specific flat in that street. Then, Maximillien took the girl to the police car, asked his colleague to drive her to the station, and decided to investigate by himself. He had to get to the bottom of the issue.
What Was Going On?
He entered the building the girl had pointed at. The entrance hall was really raggedy and dirty; he could see cans, broken bottles, and even needles spread all over the floor.
As he climbed up the stairs, he had a bad feeling. Finally, he arrived at the flat in question. The door was half-opened. He braced himself and entered the apartment, not knowing what to expect. He then saw something that brought tears to his eyes.
A Heartbreaking Scene
Two adults were lying on the floor, probably the girl’s parents. There were needles around them, and they didn’t seem to be breathing.
Immediately, Maximillien knew what was going on. The girl was suffering the same that had happened to him so many years ago. Now, her life would never be the same again. The police officer couldn’t hold his tears as he contemplated the scene.
He Made Himself A Promise
Right then, he promised himself something: he would do everything he could to ensure the girl would have an easier and better upbringing than he did.
He returned to the station and notified his colleagues about what he had seen. Quickly, a patrol and an ambulance were sent to the place. Now, all there was left was to find out a way to make sure the girl was taken care of.
A Happy Ending
The girl was put for adoption under the close scrutiny of Maximillien. In a matter of weeks, she found a foster family willing to adopt her and raise her like her own child.
From then on, Maximillien stayed in touch with the girl and her foster parents, making sure that she had a good and happy childhood.