Only Darkness Lies

Chapter 5

The next day, Willia and Elfred took Elvira with them to the main market of the village which was the hub of trade and business.

"This is the main market and that big building, you see in front of us is the Traders Union building". Elfred said explaining Elvira about the place. Willia explained her that Mr. Miller is among the main traders in this area and is also quite popular among the locals.

Elvira was surprised to know about Mr.Miller, she had considered him to be a simple shopkeeper in Ilsiome but it turned out he was an important person and quite popular too.

The union building stood tall with beautiful stained glass pane in large windows. She asked them if they were allowed to go in and when Elfred told her that they were, she suggested them that they should go inside as she wanted to see what the building looked like from the inside.

They entered the building and it was as beautiful in the inside as it was on the outside. The walls were decorated with beautiful wall paintings and there was a chandelier attached to the ceiling at the centre. Some men and women were sitting and discussing something important with each other. Elfred told Elvira that each one of them was a businessman or businesswoman.

The three of them seated themselves on the chairs and began discussing about the last day. They were in the middle of planning their next move against the Troupe when suddenly they heard people's screams outside.

Everyone rushed towards the windows to see what was going on outside.

The air was filled with dust and people looked terrified. They were running like maniacs, smashing everything that came in their way, trampling over people. Their screams along with children's cries filled the air. There was blood on the hard worn ground, probably the blood of the people who had got injured.

Suddenly they heard a gunshot. There were two men who were firing on the villagers and they made their entry on horses.

The doors of the union building were immediately locked and people hid themselves under the tables. They quietly waited for the two of them to go away all the while, praying for their lives.

The two men were members of the Troupe and Willia had quickly identified them but she spoke nothing about it to Elfred and Elvira. Elfred asked everyone inside the building not to make sound.

When the two men stood near the door of the Trader's Union building, Elvira and Elfred hid themselves.
Everyone inside the building remained silent in order to fool the Troupe members to believe that the whole building was empty.

But when Willia moved a little to make herself comfortable under the desks, a  glass jar fell from the table and shattered into pieces, making a loud sound.
This made everyone present inside nervous.

The two men heard the sound and threatened them to open the door. One of the persons inside the building stood up and walked nervously towards the door to open it, despite the resistance he faced from others. He had anticipated that they may not kill him if he opened the door for them.

The Troupe members heard the sound of the approaching footsteps and as soon as the door was opened from inside, they began firing in the inside. The bullets pierced right through the person who had opened the door. The air was filled with chaos as people tried to hide themselves but to no avail. Many people died.

After sometime they stopped firing and

one of them affixed a paper note on the wall of the building with a knife. After that they left.

There was blood everywhere on the floor.
Few people got out from their hiding spot after the Troupe members left. They were trembling in fear, whimpering. There was complete silence and no one could utter a word out loud.

Only 7 people had managed to survive the mass murder and three of them were Elvira, Willia and Elfred. The other survivers quickly left the building.

Elvira walked through the corpses and read the note the members had left.

It read:
"We are stronger than you and will always be. So, don't try to outsmart us. Spying on us won't help.
- Reim"

The note was for Elvira and her friends who had tried to spy on the Troupe the day before.

Elfred and Willia read the note too and after reading it, they stood silently, without speaking a word.
Willia then left the building while Elvira and Elfred stood there silently.

Both of them looked at each other with tears filled eyes.

They understood very well that all those people had to face death because the three of them had spied on the Troupe.

They felt guilty and didn't speak to each other before leaving the building.

Elvira was furious and after they returned to the cottage, she said in an angry tone "I despise them. I really want them all dead."
"After all this?"asked Willia. She was angry to hear her and added "Do you have any compassion in you?"
"Stop it Willia! Why are you starting a fight? Isn't Elvira right to say that?" Elfred said crying.