Manish Murthy

“I-I have never killed anyone up until now. But, I must have to pay something up for it someday,” Said Levi, who was standing in front of me as it suddenly started to rain. “People without a kill in last one year are executed. At last, even TES doesn’t want to waste their money on useless people.”

“A-And how much time has been since you have not killed someone?” I asked, kind of shaking after hearing the hard truth.

“It’s been ten months,” He replied. “I came here in February this year. It’s December going on. Christmas is near too, by the way. But, I need to fill a form for a killing contract soon.”

“T-Then, why don’t you just--”

“It’s not that easy, kiddo,” He replied, with his voice full of pain. “I have seen my mates die, and my family being killed in front of my very own eyes, with me not know a hint of what was happening. And… And the worst part was that it all happened on my… my birthday, which was supposed to be the happiest day of my life.” He wept and inhaled some air. He was crying, and that’s why he didn’t turn. He remembered dozens of corpses burning in front of him, with his tilted back looking at all of them and crying. Levi turned backward, and saw other people crying. “A-At that time, I thought… I thought how unlucky day my best day had become for over a hundred people, who had some kind of relation with them.” “D-Don’t blame yourself, pal,” I tried to console him.

He turned back towards me, with his eyes red. “How good it feels to cry when it rains. No one can see your tears, emotions and pain, which drenches away in the tears of this sky.”

“I-I can clearly see your tears, emotions and pain,” I said. “And everyone can… So-So it’s better to stop crying and…” I had no words to console him next, so I stayed quiet.

“And…?”

“And…” I spoke up, “… take revenge.”

Rahul Khanna

“Okay, now that we have decided to take revenge, I guess we should focus on how to take it too,” Keshav announced in front of the cabinet. “Do anyone know how we can start? So far, we have talked about things that we can’t do, but now we should talk about what we can do.”

Everyone nodded and started murmuring. I stood up again and said, “I guess that by using the police forces for now, we should attack on the most fragile part of The Eye of Suicide.”

“And… what’s that ‘most fragile part of TES’?” Keshav asked me.

“Kahanapur.”

Manish Murthy

“‘A small kid with big dreams’--that’s what defines you, right?” He asked me. “Do you really plan on killing the highest authority here?”

“Y-Yes,” I replied.

“I hope you’re not the one who ran off from the mental asylum yesterday.”

“I-I really mean it.”

“I know,” He nodded sarcastically. “Anyways, I guess you still don’t know why we’re not planning on killing him. At last, you’ve never seen how powerful he is, right?”

I looked at his eyes, and innocently replied, “Uh, no…”

“Ah, that’s why! I guess you needa spend some time here and experience things. But, to fasten the process, lemme tell you a story. Some years back, someone actually tried to attack and kill him.” He turned backwards and started walking, while continuing to narrate me the story. “He stabbed him with a fork! A lethal fork! Sir was sitting and eating on his desk, when someone entered and started talking formally, giving some report, I guess. But, in a matter of time, he took up a fork from his table, and stabbed him on his shoulder.” He tilted his head up and continued, “The wounds were minor, and we got a full-fledged medical service here too. That’s why, he was saved. But, before he had his wounds checked up and done, about fifty people, who were recommended workers of TES, entered and killed him. His body was found in pieces.”

At this, a cold shiver ran down my spine. “R-Really?”

He nodded. “Yep.”

I tilted my head down. It was still raining, and he suddenly turned right towards a building. We entered the building, all drenched in rain. He suddenly spoke up again, “See, I don’t mean to demotivate you. But, I wanna save you from that hell you might see if you fail.”

“O-Okay, sure,” I nodded. “I-I won’t do--”

“No!” He spoke up. “If you want to, I’m with you too. Not just me, the whole faction is with you. It’s just I thought it was my duty to tell the consequences beforehand in case we fail.” I was confused. He turned backward at me and said, “If you successfully kill him, the whole country will be benefitted from you.”

At that time, my eyes sparkled as I sensed a ray of hope passing before me. “I-I won’t give up!” I replied, with determination and a sense of duty too. “Imma do all I can to save you all!”

He smiled at me and said, “We’re in this together now, ‘kay?” He raised a hand towards me. I shook it.

“And we’re gonna do it together!”