"They are actively seeking them ,threatening them, killing them. Outright hunting them in broad daylight."
I stated calmly, aghast at the matter despite having known it for hours now.
"We need to take action." I added, trying to emphasize on the gravity of the matter on our hands.
"But , for the murder as you say happened the last day, no deaths have been reported so far. For all we have as proof is your words" Alberta suggests.
"We don't even have a witness to second your statement. Even the person isn't someone you recognize ." She adds somberly, coming up with no suggestions, helpless to the situation.
"How about we monitor events of the past days and keep our eyes open for unusual happenings?" Adrian suggests gulping from a small bottle.
"Why are you drinking during the day?" Ivan asks concerned.
"Things needed to be drowned." Adrian replies, wiping his mouth on the side of his sleeves.
Suddenly more focused, he looks at me smiling wickedly, making me realise that I'd have to tell him what actually happened, as Ivan catches up onto the silent conversation, I shake my head, there was no getting out of this with vague statements.
"We can do that atleast, and this needs to be reported. Expect an order by tomorrow evening." Alberta, concludes sincerely, dismissing the impromptu meeting, that had been called to update them on incidents happening .
"Atleast, it'll be on record now." Ivan said. "He wouldn't die a nowhere, from nowhere."
His words, I knew, echoed his greatest fear. Ivan's was that he would die anonymously and be lost to the world, his loved ones never knowing of what happened to him, and he'd be wiped off the image like he never existed.
He feared being forgotten and lost.
It was an occupational hazard, an unavoidable part of our duty.
-o-
He returned to the room an hour later, only to find it empty, his first thought - she'd been kidnapped, but that seemed highly unlikely the very next moment.
'She probably returned to her dorm.'He thought.
' Perhaps. '
And by the time the debate came to an end, she stood by the washroom door taking him in, her eyes wide, red and slightly swollen.
'She'd been crying again. '
His heart broke for her. Shrugging his duster, he hung it at the back of the door and sat on the couch, motioning for her to make herself comfortable.
"Would you like to eat something?" He questioned grasping at straws.
She looked at him, just stared and soon her eyebrows bunched up on her forehead as if she was trying to think hard or figure something out.
Had it not been in that situation, probably the reaction would have been adorable he concluded taking in her expression.
'What are you even thinking about?'he questioned himself.
'focus'
As his inner monologue paused, he noticed her sit up, "what was it like for you?" She asked, in a voice so low that it was hardly audible.
"Pardon." He begged for her to repeat, wondering if she actually meant what hrd assumed, she did.
"What did you do when you first witnessed death?" She expressed elaborately.
There she said it, hid mind whipping back to days when a scared kid hid in the dark corners of broken remains and abandoned building, fearing that he'd not be able to see his family again or perhaps they'd not be there when he returned home that day.
The streets were a dangerous place while at night even more so, unspeakable things happed hidden in shadows, by the dumpsters, behind closed doors, even in brightly lit buildings, he knew things weren't safe, life was hazardous.
It was then he wished to be a part of the system, fancied about belonging to a faction, so his family could be safe and lead a comfortable life.
"It was unpleasant." He replied shortly.
"But that's not it." She prompted.
"It's not pleasant." he iterated.
"But I need to know." The mere words, her pleading tone, holding power enough as he launched into a tale he had never told anyone.
"It was a well dressed man from Amity, slightly drunk, walking down dingy factionless streets at night unaccompanied at that, bumped into a group of three men. Apologized, but for no apparent reason, they hit him. Beat him to pulp and then ran away. I saw all of it from behind a pillar, rushed to help the man, and he died with his head on my lap, a smile on his face, looking assured and content as if he owned the world. "
He stopped to take a breathe. The event though years old was fresh in his mind as if mere hours old.
" I still can't reason as to why he smiled, you know. "He said, finally looking in her direction only to realize that she sat next to him with his hand in hers as she looked at him somberly.
" He looked so content, so peaceful, it was astonishing, I had expected to see him cry, in pain, perhaps would have begged me to get medical help but he did not, simply sat me beside him, put his head on my lap and pretended to be sound asleep, just bleeding profusely while doing so. "An amused laugh escaped him.
" After that I returned home, pretended nothing had happened and carried on with day to day life. "He concluded, leaning against the couch.
Nodding, she simply got up and went to the bed, sitting down to face him.
Quiet as she was, he couldn't help but question," Aren't you curious as to why or how I was there? "
" No. " She replied biting her cheek. "It wasn't my business, I. Just wanted to know if anything could be related,... But you can tell me anytime if you feel like it." She added , almost on second thought.
He nodded, "perhaps a tale for the otheother day." He said with a small smile.
"What is it you wanted to tell me, in the note you remember?"she asked recalling the note, which securely hid on the inside of her jacket now.
She had perhaps asked a wrong question for she saw his face turn somber.
-o-
Hello my dear readers. I welcome you all to a very new year! May it be prosperous, happy, peaceful and productive for all of you. I'm thankful for all of your support. Tune in for the upcoming chapter the next week, and for a big revelation.
Greetings!!
-Katnipsc :)