I quickly hid my head under the window pane. My body was shivering convulsively, and I could not get a hold of it. I tried taking deep breaths to calm myself down from what I had seen. The murder was so fresh a thought in my mind that it prevented me from thinking of solutions. After a few minutes of intense thinking, I realised that calling the police for help would be the best solution. I took out my phone from the back pocket of my jeans and dialled 999 with haste. Unfortunately, the network was too low to make contacts, and I cursed the government for not establishing an exemplary network system in the town. I was so engrossed in finding a solution that I had hardly noticed that I was utterly drenched in sweat due to fear. Evidently, I was of no help; therefore, I decided to head back to my apartment and said to myself that I would report the crime the following day.
I was about to leave when I heard mumbling from the dining room. I froze for a while. The two men were having a conversation with each other. I gathered every ounce of courage left in me and peeked through the window yet again. The scar-faced man was saying something to his partner in crime in an undertone voice. I could neither hear nor interpret what he was saying to his pal. Suddenly, the second man turned around and came face to face with his partner. He had a stern countenance and held a sharp, steely knife, still stained with blood. He was smoking a cigar in his mouth and took a deep puff of it. He then said in a loud and clear voice.
"Dispose of the body somewhere no one in this town can find. Inform everyone in the colony that she moved to another city after finding a better job. These are commands from our boss."
The former wore his gloves and tossed the immobile dead body over his shoulder. The second man started speaking again.
"You do know why we were ordered to kill her, don't you?."
"Yeah."
The second man grinned and began laughing like a lunatic. He again took a deep puff of his cigar and continued.
"This silly woman was trying to know our whereabouts and our motives. How dare she? Not only did she know that we were murderers but also that we were members of the deadliest criminal organisation, ' The Illuminati'. Poor Ms Plank died a painful death. Alas! She had to pay for her sins. Trying to inform the police about our following motives. Yes, she deserved such a painful death. 'The Illuminati' must never be exposed. Well then, let's get going, shall we?"
I was just amazed and wonderstruck. For a second, I thought the world had paused for a while. Did I hear it correctly? I was asking the question to my conscience again and again. "What, 'The Illuminati'? " I believed that Illuminati was nothing more than a rumour.
My body had started releasing adrenaline in an excess amount that my legs were not moving even on my command. I managed to hide behind a bush somehow. I saw the men carrying away the body along with them. I stayed there until they left and immediately made my way home. The fear and horror were so immense that I couldn't sleep that night. The dead body of Ms Plank kept coming into my inward eye, making me feel uneasy and anxious. The first ray of sunlight entered my room no sooner than I got ready to go to the police station. A thought struck me just as I was about to leave my apartment. The woman killed last night must have done the same thing, informing the police about the criminal organisation. I suddenly realised that I was about to repeat the same mistake which Ms Plank committed, which resulted in her death.
I thought I would also die a throbbing death if I complained about the organisation since they are 'The Illuminati' and will surely come to hunt me down. I steadily went back to my room and seated myself on my bed. I tried to console myself that my decision not telling the police about the murder last night was best for me and convinced myself that "Some Secrets Must Never Be Revealed Or Exposed'.
Tenzin Norsang
