The dance of the mannequins.

Chapter-5

Matty lied down in his coffin. Flowers were decorated. He was placed in a beautiful black suit. Matty's favorite people accompanied him around his coffin.

"There has been a huge loss for you Snow" Snow heard this dialogue for the forty-fifth time. He just ignored it.

Matty was great and famous. He had done a lot of good deeds before passing away. Lots of people had come to see him for one last time. Some people in the crown hated Snow, because he was adopted and some acknowledged him for thinking to payback.

Siena carl, Snow's mother, was sitting in the first row. Crying to her heart's extent. She wasn't able to control her tears. Everything happened so fast.

Snow's two elder brothers sat next to their mother on each side. Helping her calm down.

Snow was in the end. He was looking at everything that was happening there and noticed the people looking at him through hatred. He just smiled at them, to increase their anger.

"It's a great loss for you Snow"

He heard it again. His thoughts suddenly went back to his dad's memory. How he was afraid that his father would scold him for less marks. How his father knew exactly what he desired for and bought it for him.

His eyes were in tears, when he had learned that his father was dead in an accident a day ago. He couldn't hold back. He let out one tear.

"Now I call upon Snow to deliver his speech"

Snow was standing still. The man next to him called him and gestured him to go there. Snow walked towards the stage and started speaking, words came from his mouth even though he had not prepared any.

"We have all gathered here for this man's funeral. When i was lying in the cradle, alone and waiting for someone to feed me, this man took me into his own hands. He freed me from the curse called orphan. He brought me the things which I never asked for, he hadn't scolded me, nor discriminate me from my brothers. He was a fine man. I had never expected that his death would be in such a way. This man has surpassed being "A GENTLEMAN", he lives in my heart, as a legend." Snow pauses for a little time and then says, "I'm proud that you took me and raised me up. I don't know whether I have the right to say this to you but, I love you dad"

He gets down the stage. People are deeply captivated by his voice and the words from his heart.

The final prayers have been over. Tge coffin is taken for the burial. Siena loses control. She cries as the coffin is lowered down the ground. Snow pick up a few grains of mud and throws it upon the coffin.  Thus, ending the ceremony.

People depart. Snow catches a guy near a tree. He walks towards him and stands by his side.

"I didn't expect you would come here"
"Well, I've got some intel"
"about?"
"Your Father's death"

The man next to Snow was Mr. Stunt, Henry stunt. Snow's childhood friend.

"What did you get?"
"Are you really okay to hear this?"
"Yes"
"It wasn't an accident"
"Then?"
"It was a planned murder"
"What?!"
"Yes"

Snow didn't know whether to believe him or not. Matty was a good man and never did any wrong to anyone. No one would have a grudge against someone as great and as loyal as Matty. Henry stunt, was his childhood friend, or his adviser to be precise. He had helped Snow tackle every situation in his life. He would never tell a lie, at least not as grave as this one.

"Do you know who did that?" asked Snow.
"Nope"

Snow sighed.

"We shouldn't let anyone know about this."
"Hmm..."
"How did you get this information?"
"From an informer"
"Who?"
"I don't know"

Snow did not know what he was talking about. He looked at Henry, narrow eyed.

"Half an hour before the accident happened, I got a call from someone from a public telephone booth. I answered the call. The man was rude and said only a single sentence, "Matty was going to die". I never thought that the Matty he was talking about was your father. Sorry Snow."

"Well that's okay. What happened is already happened. Let us focus on who and how to catch him."

Snow turned and looked back to see people signing off. They were going back to their cars and leaving the funeral. Surely, everyone in the crowd looked sad for his father's death. He scanned the whole crowd and sighed.

"I don't suspect anyone."
"Well...I think he wouldn't have come to the funeral today."
"Yeah. But it is really hard to suspect someone also. Many people always give me a hateful stare for being adopted by Matty. So, I can't suspect anyone."
"So shall we go grab a coffee and discuss matters about this?"
"Well, not now. I'm seriously sad and need an urgent shower."
"I understand"
"Tomorrow 10:00 am, The royal eatery."
"Got it"

Henry stunt left the place. He had come in a nice black suit. He was older than Snow but knew Snow from a very young age. He is working as a cop. Snow sometimes helps get him out of tough situations or solving mysteries and Henry helps Snow in advising him on how to get to his next goal.

Henry looks back once to see Snow, who looks back at him and smiles. He then gets in his car and drives off.

Snow is in a confusion. He doesn't know what he was doing and what is going to happen to him after this. But all he needed now was a cold shower.