Chapter 7

+ CHAPTER 7 +

 

Dark Secrets

 

“You are stating your pretence of not committing your misdeeds,” said Daniel.  “Keith and I have witnessed the matter ourselves, which can be brought with procrastination in the court of law.  We have heard from the second floor of you planning to arson the Malay Town and with the reward of enormous bags of gold coins.  It is very typical of a Musang man to be full of conspiracies.  Eleanor, Melor, and the Malay residents are witnesses to the Malay Town arson and robbery of Farmers Bank you committed with your cronies.  I bet you all be crying in the grave (he pointed to his ex-friends and Musang).”

 

“In fact, Mr. Musang Maling is not the only perpetrator,” replied Sir Holloway.  “There will never be witnesses from among you.  You shall only experience the cries of your tombs first.  You must pass through me to reach Mr.Maling.  Your final day has come to stop me, in which I bet you cannot do.” 

 

At this point, he held his gun in his hand up high and pointed it to his front.

 

“Father?  Has it all been you behind this atrocity?” Daniel asked, puzzled.

 

“Yes, indeed I planned it all along,” said Sir Holloway.  “Who would have thought I merely pretended to submit to my son’s authority?  Forget not I am still the leader of Malmesbury and breadwinner of the Holloways.  Aside from Daniel and Keith, the Tudor Lions are actually my younger recruits of the Skelly Gangs.  Daniel, I made you the team’s captain out of my self-interest, to gain victory and foothold in Malay Town.  Furthermore, my double tax proposition is simply for the welfare of the colony.”

 

With this reply, he then had really showed his true colours.

 

“On the contrary, your irrational tax proposition indicates your greed for wealth and power,” Daniel said.  “I’m rather appalled on such misdeeds of yours.  You have used your humbug agendas over me.”

 

“Sir Holloway, you are nothing but a liar!” exclaimed Megat.  “You swore to leave us and never to come back to Malay Town.”

 

“However, we have not agreed to leave you unharmed and you failed to specify the period of this peace process,” said Sir Holloway slyly.  “Therefore, it is of no concern for me to accumulate all the treasures that I need at Malay Town.”

 

“Musang – you and Sir Holloway have been in collaboration with this funny business all along, were you not?” asked Mak Delima.

 

“Yes, I most certainly have,” said Musang with pride.

 

“You are a traitor to the Malays!” Mak Delima replied.  “How many innocent lives are you going to take?  Have you ever thought about their weeping family members before them?  I suppose you don’t since all you care about is your selfish craving for money.”

 

“That abysmal luck is entirely your fault, since my fellow compatriots have no longer given me face,” replied Musang.  “Therefore, I’ve decided to covertly work for Sir Holloway and the Skelly Gangs.  Sir Holloway had made me rich and I no longer have to suffer paying off my burdening debts.  If you all cooperate with him and me, it will be guaranteed that all your miseries will end.” 

 

     “Never, and hold your deceitful tongue!” Demang growled in response.  “You defraud others of their wealth and claimed it as yours.  It is you that make the lives of others miserable!  At least our dignity wasn’t purchased by wealth.  It comes from our pure hearts.”

 

     “My dear children – it is a shame that you both do not acknowledge my biggest efforts to civilise these ignorant Malay and Irish savages in the name of righteousness, but this did not happen thanks to the obstacles caused by the coordination between Superintendent Gallagher, Pak Ujang and Mak Delima!” Sir Holloway said.  

 

“They are no ignorant savages as much as you are with your rather unrighteous act,” said Daniel in disappointment.  “You simply address them as savages because they resisted your unjust rule.  You are a disgrace to the British Crown and to the Hastings family, father.”

 

“Furthermore, I am not your child, Sir Holloway,” Eleanor said.  “I am the only begotten child of my father the late Sir Arthur Hastings.  Henceforth, I shall be known as Eleanor Hastings.  You have also been untruthful about my mother, Lady Heather, saying she is deceased.” 

 

“Impressive – how long have you known this?” asked Sir Holloway.

 

“Since she and her friends released the Sulongs and me from that filthy prison you sent us to.  I told my daughter everything about her biological father,” said Lady Heather.

 

“Heather?” asked Sir Holloway, looking a little surprised.

 

“It’s Lady Heather,” corrected Lady Heather.   “Preferably, you address me as Your Ladyship.”

 

“Mother, was it true Superintendent Gallagher assassinated Father?” Eleanor asked.  “I just remembered as a child that I saw Superintendent Gallagher’s sudden presence soon after the masked man disappeared.”  

 

“No, Eleanor,” replied Lady Heather.  “It was not Superintendent Gallagher’s face behind the mask, and it is not in his nature to commit such crime.  He always rescues those in need of help, and he would only execute those when resorting to self-defence and when required by law.  I have long known him, Eleanor.”

 

“Upon knowing him for long, I also trust that the Superintendent is good unto others, and he is never greedy for gold and might, Eleanor,” Pak Ujang added.  “Superintendent Ciaran Gallagher was an illustrious man of justice and integrity.”

 

Eleanor went under a trance and saw the ghost of her past.  She saw a groaning man with dark hair, assuming it was her father.  Then, she clearly saw another man with dark hair, yet he wore a mask below his nose and a bush hat.  The pair of blue eyes above the mask looked familiar to her.

 

“I had just remembered seeing a pair of piercing eyes above the murderer’s masked mouth, and I now realise they aren’t the Superintendent’s.  It was Sir Holloway that assassinated father, didn’t he?”

 

“Yes, it was his transgression that caused your father’s death,” responded Lady Heather, firmly assured. 

 

“For what reason you assassinated my father, Sir Holloway?” asked Eleanor.

 

“The rationale was simply for my glory and power as the next mayor, Eleanor,” said Sir Holloway.  “Long before you children were born, I was a man from among the gentry, a rich businessman running a sugarmill and a best friend to the mayor.  I became much richer with the shared profit maximisation from his once large sugarcane estate back in Queensland and the Malay slaves we possessed as our capital.  So, I was left with no choice but to leave with him to Malmesbury for work.  I blame Sir Hastings for resulting in my enormous financial loss due to his decision to subdivide the large sugarcane estate and the emancipation of slavery.  Thus, I hired Mr. Musang Maling as my agent in an attempt to steal Sir Hastings’s cash from his bedroom to aid the critical state of my business.  As my agenda failed, I felt that I had no choice but to becoming wealthy again by usurping the mayor position.  Therefore, I planned on assassinating him first in order to do so.”    

 

“Father Gospel told me about you disguising as a policeman and wore a red mask to assassinate my husband, while your hired outlaws were commanded to murder the O’Donnells at their farm,” said Lady Mountbatten. 

 

“You were right, and I made a wise decision by having you kidnapped and placed in jail with the help of the corrupted police officers,” responded Sir Holloway.   “Eleanor deserved to know that you were dead.”

 

“You are the most insolent man ever,” said Lady Mountbatten.

 

“Was it your mission to repossess the Malays as your slaves during the evening arson of Malay Town?” asked Demang.

 

“Yes, undoubtedly,” Sir Holloway replied.  “I first had to eradicate the ruling Sulong family to ensure total rights to repossess all the plantations owned by the Malay in its entirety to rob its treasures from the little farmer’s bank.  By acknowledging the hardship of the Malays is predicting their dependability as my slaves.”

 

“Sir Holloway, we can lead our own destiny, but, it is you disallow us to uphold that opportunity,” said Pak Ujang.

 

“You murdered my father to become the new mayor, did you not, Sir Holloway?” asked Eleanor.  “I suspect you feared the disclosure of your criminal intent, of which would lead to your immediate arrest.  Is this the rationale of ostracising my mother from me and declared her deceased?” 

 

Sir Holloway then replied, “Yes, indeed, and I plainly conceive that Sir Hastings deserves not to become a mayor because of his overly soft leadership for his people.”

 

“Thereby, why have you decided to adopt me instead of killing me?” asked Eleanor.

 

“I don’t kill children and I didn’t want you to have a meaningless future,” replied Sir Holloway.

 

“Was it you that ordered the building of the secret passage way from my bedroom?” asked Eleanor.

 

“Yes, I certainly did.  I planned this long before Sir Hastings became a mayor.  By the way, Eleanor, I’ve read your underlined sections of your Sebastian Holmes’s Unresolved Mystery book, where it showed the secret passage behind the fireplace, the ‘twist and turn’ Star of David key – the mysterious influential man is me.  I bought the Star of David key from a merchant in Jerusalem for that secret passage.”

 

“Daniel, did you plan this with your father of getting me to help the Sulong and my mother out so that you can trap us in this catastrophe?” asked Eleanor.

 

“No, Eleanor – I honestly knew nothing of the trick my father had set!” replied Daniel, looking furious.

 

“Daniel had nothing to do with this – it was only my doing,” said Sir Holloway.  “I had the suspicion that Daniel knew my plans of unjustly imprisoning the Sulongs, but what he did not know was that I had been looking at his underlined markings of the Unresolved Mystery book to find out his treacherous plan to release the Sulongs.”

 

“How disrespectful you have been to the Jewish people using the Star of David key to commit an undesirable deed,” said Daniel.  “I thought Musang had brainwashed you but it seem that you planned it all along, haven’t you, father?”

 

“Yes, and in fact I have planned everything discreetly well in advance right before witnessing eyes and the under the very nose of the law,” said Sir Holloway.  “I must include the imprisonment and attempted execution of the Sulongs, of which the day of their escape is my opportunity to trap you.  It is a matter of time you all should know this, because soon you all shall face the wrath of my execution.”

 

“You are a selfishly insolent fellow human being!” replied Eleanor.  

 

“You will compensate for what you did to me family and us, Sir Holloway!” said Niall. 

 

“We do not wish for bloodshed,” said Tok Kencana, who suddenly appeared out of nowhere.  “We wish to negotiate the release of Mr. Ujang Sulong and his family from prison.”

 

“In your dreams, I will never release them,” said Sir Holloway.

 

“Please, Sir Holloway,” consoled Tok Kencana.  “For the peace of Malmesbury and for our good will, lets settle this in a civilised manner.”

 

“You can talk as much as you like, but I will remain in disagreement,” said Sir Holloway.  “Over my dead body!”

 

He tried to shoot Tok Kencana, but he missed.  He threw a dagger at Tok Kencana, but Tok Kencana managed to catch it with his hand and he remained unharmed.

 

“Very well then, if that is your wish,” said Tok Kencana.

 

“Merdeka!” shouted out the voice of an unknown crowd in the void of a war cry, fighting for their freedom.  It was followed by a sudden group of Malays rushing forwards to charge vociferously from the sides and back, swarming like ants.

 

“Seize those Malay resistant fighters!” shouted Sir Holloway.

 

“Yes, sir!” replied all his hired men, and many of them were bushrangers.

 

Gunshots were made all at once with only a couple of Malays got wounded, but the rest managed to wrestle the guns off the White gunmen.  Pak Ujang twisted Sir Holloway’s hand and managed to take over his short gun.  Pak Ujang spoke to him whilst gun-pointing at him. 

 

In satisfaction, Pak Ujang said, “Truly, you seem to be the one who is not going to escape the law now!”

 

     “Not yet!  We shall know it when the time comes,” replied Sir Holloway.

 

Eleanor and Lady Heather quickly escaped from the revolt and disappeared from sight.

 

Unexpectedly, a man grabbed the gun Pak Ujang was carrying and tried to shoot him.  However, the man missed out the opportunity to shoot Pak Ujang, as he had grabbed the man’s hand, elbowed him on his hip, and tripped him to the ground.  In doing so, he managed to grab the gun back and placed under his waistband.  Another man tried to hit Mak Delima from behind but he missed it.  She could sense his movement.  She grabbed his hand, threw him onto the ground and kicked his dagger away.

 

A group of six bushrangers tried to attack Tok Kencana but they could not challenge him even in any match.  Tok Kencana picked up a pole and hit against someone who tried to hit him with a gun.  He avoided the gunshots.  With the creative kicking skills and acrobatic swift hits Tok Kencana made, he finally took the bushrangers down one by one.  They all fell backwards after losing their balances and strengths.  It took him some time to do that.  Tok Kencana was approaching a group of six Caucasians.

 

“You will not intend to hit me as I do not intend to hit you,” said Tok Kencana.

 

They laughed mockingly at him, and one of them said, “What a fool!  Old man, do you think we are afraid to beat up a crippled man like you?”   

 

Tok Kencana grabbed onto a bamboo he lifted with his foot from the ground, and then he said, “How insulting of you to speak crudely to an older person.  It seems that you leave me with no choice then.  Your impertinence needs mending.”

 

The man commanded, “Get him!”

 

As one of the man tried to hit Tok Kencana with his iron fist, Tok Kencana moved himself away from him, made him miss the hit, and, punched the man back.  The six attackers were surrounding him; they were all armed with guns.  As they were about to point their firearms at him, he quickly swung the bamboo pole to whack his foes’ hands.  They dropped their weapons before they could lay their fingers on the triggers.  His enemies were persistently trying to beat him up a number of times, but they ended up being knocked and flew backwards to the ground, whilst he charged them with the pole, as if giving them a harsh corporal punishment.

 

“How is this weaker older man able to defeat six stronger young men?” asked Tok Kencana.  “Lesson number one, never underestimate the powers of the older people.  Now, behave and show us some respect!”

 

All the bad young men were groaning in pain in the ground when he was speaking to them.

 

Melor, Demang and Megat kicked an incredible collection of sand dust and tree branches off the ground that hit against their enemies’ firearms, and then attacked them – using their monkey stance to defeat their enemies.

 

After whacking someone’s face, Megat sarcastically said, “Oh, I am sorry, gentlemen.  I did not mean to hit you.  It was an accident.”

 

“That was very impolite of you, Megat,” Demang advised though sounding playful.  “Did our parents not teach us to mind our manners?”

 

Megat replied, “Well, not for long.  I think that bad manners are a virtue for those in need of them!”

 

     “That would be diabolically fun for us, would it not?” asked Melor.  “I am sure our parents would not mind us being naughty: ‘Oh, I am sorry, father and mother.  I did not mean to use explicit language at your damn faces!’”

 

     “Melor, I’ve always thought you are a good girl,” said Demang.

 

     “Yes, I’ve always been a good girl, but not for the moment,” she replied.

 

     Niall shot some down bandits but missed out some of them.

 

     As the man tried to get up, Niall knocked his head out with his fist.

 

     “Oh, I apologise for not seeing you.  Your head was too big in sight for me to envisage your existence.” 

 

     “You brothers are both truly the same wicked ill-mannered monsters I have ever met,” replied Demang moving his index finger left and right and stridulating like a cicadas as if he was criticising naughty little children.

 

“Thank you,”replied Niall, of whom he and Liam then bowed.  “You can depend on us anytime for mischief when it is in great need, mate!”

 

     Then the older English gentleman, a Welshman and anIrish cowboy that came along. 

 

     The brown haired Welshman with crooked nose said, “Well, well, well – is this not Niall that we are seeing?  After all these years, we are happy to finally meet you again.  It is time for us to bring upon to him the same ghastly fate as his real parents.”

 

     “My intuitions tell me that this shall no easy task to defeat you,” said the cowboy.

 

“You bet me it is no bloody easy task,” Niall replied.  “I remember seeing you gentlemen before.  Mr.Crooked, the crooked-nosed Welshman, Mr. Savage, the cold and pale-looking Englishman, Mr.O’Gunner, the evil Irishman, and Mr.McGoof, the most idiotic man alive.”

 

“Mind your words, Irish boy.  No explicit words are to be uttered to us,” said Mr.McGoof.  “It was just luck that you were able to live.” 

 

“I shall speak what my heart desires!” replied Niall.  “You all should be arrested and thrown into the depths of hell for your remorseful acts.  You killed my parents and almost took me life away.  So, I owe you no honour.”

 

     “A fair trial – as you wish, Irish boy!” said Mr. Crooked.

The three merciless middle-aged men slung their guns at Niall.  Niall missed the bullets that were triggered at him.  He was hiding behind a tree.  He felt that someone was getting closer to the tree.  Niall turned around, and, ‘Bang!’ Two gunshots were heard.  Niall was standing in front of a cowboy and the crooked-nosed man.  The cowboy saw blood on his stomach.   

 

Niall said, “It seems like I am the champion of gun shootin’ now!”

 

The two men fell down to the ground.

 

Then, an English gentleman got near the big tree.

 

“One hit and you are in for it, Mr. Savage!”

 

The man passed out.  It was Niall that knocked down the man from his back with his strong fist.  Niall was then hiding behind a crate to see if the coast was clear.

 

Then, it was Mr. McGoof’s turn to challenge Niall.  After hearing another gunshot, he quickly made another one.  Nothing happened to Niall.  Mr. McGoof hesitated.  In a few minutes time, he closed his eyes, turned his head to the side and remained still.  There was a red spot at his stomach.

 

“You are always careless, Mr. McGoof!  Yes!  Excellent shot, Niall!  You have won the rifle shooting cup!” said Niall, praising himself out loud.  He made a fist with his right hand, moving it forward and then moved his elbow backwards.

 

Melor saw a lady cheering up Musang to kill Megat.  It was MelatiUlar, his wife.

 

“Melati, kaujugakebelakanganini(Are you also behind this)?” Melor asked.

 

“Ya, memang!  Kau orang memangtidakharusdihormati.  Olehitu, kau orang semuaharusmati (Yes, it’s true!  You people should never be respected!  As a result, you all shall die),” replied Melati.

 

“Cis, berdebahkau, Melati!  Bersedialah kau untuk melawan aku! (Humph, damn you, Melati!  Prepare yourself to fight me!)” Melor said with a sense of enrage. 

 

A feline-fighting scene was then commenced.  They began to punch and kick one another.  Melor had used her tiger stance tactics to deal with Melati’s snake stance.  Finally, Melor elbowed her to the ground, hit her weak point, which was below the base of her neck, and she passed out. 

 

There were half a dozen professional Malay lady martial arts champions, with Melor as their leader, soon began to fight the other opposing men who were trying to beat them up.  The girls used their skilful talent defeat their opponents.

 

“A woman defeating a man in a fight?” asked Melor.  “What a shame!  Aren’t men to supposed to be the physically stronger ones?”

 

“Only in general terms, I suppose,” said a Malay girl with two pigtails.  “These men are, however, exempted from this generalisation.”

 

            As the White men got closer trying to show off their boxing skills, the Malay men missed their hits.  Finally, after a while, the Malay men managed to grab them by the arm, knocking them to the ground with their special punching and kicking styles that Tok Kencana taught them, and they have been using the monkey stance.  One of them was Demang, who led his friends to fight against the so-called Hantu Putih (White Demons or White Ghosts).  After that, they soon tied the ropes around the outlaws’ arms.   

 

Megat draw his parang out of the scabbard, which was beneath his waistband.  After that, a loud clinging musketeer swordfight began between Musang and Megat.  They both also applied their swift hand and leg movements to block and hit one another’s punches and kicks as well as avoiding the blade slashing.  In the end, Musang lost control of his parang, as it fell onto the ground far away from him.  Musang grabbed onto Megat’s left leg.  Megat gave a high kick to Musang’s face to release his other foot.  Musang stood up straight on the ground again and picked up his parang.  Megat kicked Musang again and punched him.  He grabbed Musang’s right arm, twisted his hand and tripped him to the ground.  Musang fell down to the ground again and lost control of his parang, and it flew off his hand.  Megat quickly moved his parang forward and aimed its pointy end at Musang’s throat.  Melor quickly took Musang’s parang off the ground before he got the chance to do so and she also pointed her parang at Musang. 

 

“This is necessary for my self-defence,” said Melor pointing, her parang at Musang.  “Your selfishness brings you iniquity and catastrophe to society.  You’ve cheated many out of their sweat and blood, as well as diminishing the good name and attempting to murder others.”

 

Megat gave Musang a disgusted look.  “I must end your life before you cause further problems to us.  You intended to terminate our lives and we must protect ourselves.  You are a thorn within the flesh and a pair of cutting scissors within the folds.”

 

Megat and Melor withdrew their parangs from Musang, as he got up and knelt on the ground, but they were still pointing their swords at him, just from a few inches away. 

 

“Megat, Melor, please forgive me.  Spare me!  Intan payung (Diamond Umbrella)!  I beg you for your mercy!” Musang begged, shifting his eyes.

 

Three men with moustaches, of which two wore Victorian costumes and the other one wore a Cowboy outfit, tried to show off their boxing skills to Angus and Keith.

 

“Come and get me!  Show me your strength!” said an Englishman.

 

“Why don’t you show off yours first, you big-headed jester?” Angus asked.

 

The Englishman said, “Certainly, if you say so, but, do not regret it little boy!” 

 

“I would not regret it and I am not little, you idiot!” said Angus, offended.  “Can you not see how way taller compared to a five years old child?”

 

“Oh, I must have been blind not to see you,” replied the man.

 

Angus responded, “Yes, you need to a pair of spectacles for your blinded sight.”

 

He tried to punch Angus but missed a number of times.  Finally, Angus knocked his face with his fist and the man blacked out.  Keith did the same. 

 

“One hit!” said Angus.

 

“Two hits!” said Keith, punching the other man in his stomach and face. 

 

“You are not getting away this time,” said a tall man, standing in front of them.

 

The cowboy man’s back was jabbed and he fell down clumsily onto the ground.   “Oh yes we are!  Mr. Darren Holloway has come to save the day and the larger bodied foe had instantly been defeated,” replied Darren. 

 

Keith said, “His giant body is merely a show of strength.  That was impressive, partners!” 

 

“Excuse me, gentlemen,” said Darren. “That was not impressive.  It was brilliant!  Let us shake hands and give you hugs!  There we go my friends.  In the words of the Three Musketeers: ‘All for one and one for all’.”

 

They all placed their hands on top of each other part of the ritual.

 

“Darren, look out!” shouted Niall.

 

A gunshot sound came from behind but, luckily, no one was injured.  Another shot was made.  An icy-looking blonde man had been behind Darren.  He was certainly not young and not too old.  It was Mr. Savage and he shot the air.  Darren was facing him with a gun in his hand.  He dropped the gun to the ground and stood still.  Within seconds, he fell to the ground with blood flowing out spontaneous onto his hand.       

 

“Very well,” said Megat.  “As an upright person, I will forgive you.  If I harm you for personal vengeance, I will be seen as a murderer in Tuhan’s eyes.  However, we will be watching you.  Repent yourself to the Lord, for He is merciful and forgiving.  He shall guide you to the straight path.” 

 

“If we do not discern your actions, then Tuhan will witness against you,” said Demang.  “You will be answerable to Him in Judgment Day.”

 

“Thank you for freeing me,” Musang replied, thanking Megat grabbing onto Megat’s legs, but Megat backed away.

 

Megat and Melor finally withdrew their parangs away from Musang.  Musang had been eyeing a gun lying next to an unconscious guard all the time.

 

Megat turned his back towards Musang.

 

Someone grabbed a gun from an unconscious guard, who was lying on the dirt ground.  He held it onto his hand, since he assumed no one was watching him.

 

“Liam, look out!” warned Niall.

 

After turning around, Liam quickly moved towards ground as a gunshot was made.  the Musang held out a gun and after a gunshot, Musang fell to the ground instead.

 

It was Niall shooting Musang. 

 

Unfortunately, Megat had been shot.

 

Megat placed his hand onto his chest, where his heart was located, and then he saw drops of red liquid, dripping from his hand. 

 

To his surprise, he witnessed a rose red stain smeared on his shirt on his left chest.  He dropped his parang and fell onto the ground, moaning in pain.  It was too late.  He felt weak and everything was going slow. 

 

He shut his eyes.  Darkness had gradually come to dominate his optimistic view of the world.

 

“Liam!” Niall cried out loud.  “You are a murderer, Musang!  You killed me twin brother!  I hate you!  How could you do this to him?  He permits you to live and is this how you repay him?” 

 

Niall was delirious at Musang. 

 

“He deserves it!” said Musang.  “For all I know, he has not been much help to me.”

 

“Silence, you selfish brute!  You care for no one other than yourself!” shouted Niall emotionally, as he kicked something off. 

 

It hurt Musang in the left leg and he was groaning about it.  

 

“I would have to finish you off then, as I can no longer forgive you,” said Niall, holding up the gun.  “You bastard!  You deserve all this suffering as you’ve done us.”

 

“No, Niall!” exclaimed Angus, placing Niall’s gun away from Musang.  “He is the wicked one, not you.  You’re a policeman.  You know you will be charged as a murderer and get hanged if you shoot him unarmed.  Let him regret his deepest faults, and it is best to let the law deal with him.”

 

“Trust us, Niall,” said Demang.  “We say this only out of our love for you.  Vengeance is worthless.  You’re not evil, Musang is, and if you kill him, he will become the hero, and you will become the villain.  Therefore, let the law to punish him and make him the villain.”

 

Niall was as silent as grave.  He then began to remember about the advice his parents gave him years ago when he and Liam were very young. 

 

“You are right, Demang,” said Niall, who then handcuffed Musang. 

 

“Megat!” shouted Eleanor, seeing him on the ground, and she was furious to see his murderer.  “Musang, you are the most inconsiderate, repugnant scoundrel I have ever met.  Since you’ve made me lose a friend, I will remain satisfied to see you doomed at the gallows.  Funeral is duly where your fate lies.”

 

Eleanor spat at him. 

 

In a split second, Melor mourned over Megat.  “Megat, please do not leave me! You are my best friend.  You are the kindest boy to me I have ever met other than my father.”

 

Niall also grieved over Megat, shaking his body.  “Liam, my dear beloved brother.  Please do not die.  We have lost our parents since we were very young and I never want to lose sight of you again.” 

 

He crossed his hands after placing them together.  He waited for the Almighty to answer him, but Megat remained unconsciously silent.   

 

“Forgive me, Lord,” said Niall.  “I shall take on my life and join him in heaven with my deceased parents!”  He took a gun and pointed it at his temple.

 

“No, Niall – don’t do that!” said Demang, putting Niall’s hand away, as he was about to point it to his side temple.  “This is no way to resolve the problem.  You must think of those who love you.  How about your foster father?  He will suffer deeply seeing you dead too.  As brothers to Liam, I could relate our sorrows together.  I care about you.  So, I beg you not to kill yourself, Niall.”

 

Niall looked at Demang for a while and then looked at the ground silently.     

 

In a sudden, Niall hugged Demang, crying. 

 

“No, this can’t be happening to me!” cried out Niall.  “I do not desire to lose my brother, for he is the only blood family I have!”

 

Demang was a bit startled with his sudden reaction, but decided to comfort him anyway.  “Shhh, I understand, but it remains not a good reason to harm oneself.  My family and I have known Megat for years and he is also our family, but we do not kill ourselves.  Do not give up your faith.”

 

Niall reminded Demang of his own foster brother whenever he saw him around with him. 

 

“He is such a boy of noble character,” said Angus gravely.

 

Pak Ujang and Mak Delima were also grieving in their hearts with full of painful moments.  Megat had been a good boy to them.

 

“Megat, my dear child, you have been such a good boy and we are so happy to raise you up in such a manner,” Mak Delima said.  “We have always loved you as much as our own son, Demang.”

 

Mak Delima kissed Megat’s forehead with tears running down her cheeks.  Then, Pak Ujang kissed his forehead to give his blessing.  Megat’s saddening incident emotionally touched everyone.  Upon witnessing the grief, Darren and Keith expressed their sense of full regret.   They looked at Megat’s body for a few moments in silence and then faced the ground.   

 

“Please do not grieve for me!” said Megat, who suddenly had his eyes opened.  “I am still alive.”

 

Megat’s family and friends thought they heard him speak.  They were surprised to see his eyes wide open that it startled them and they jumped backwards. 

 

“How is this possible?” asked Niall.

 

He sat up and touched his chest.  He felt something leaking from inside his jacket and took it out. 

 

It was not blood but a bullet stuck into a red wine casket he kept for Niall in his inside pocket.  He then also discovered a dented shamrock leaf imprint on the silver pendant.  Demang and Niall pulled him up to help him to sit on the ground.  He had been saved, and he was almost to the point of being dead.

 

“Megat, I am so happy you’re still alive,” said Melor.

 

She hugged him and soon let go, after realising their cultural taboo.

 

“O Liam, my dear twin brother, you are still alive!” said Niall cheerfully, hugging on to his twin brother. 

 

Megat said to him, “I am sorry to have caused a hole on your wine casket.” 

 

“That is not a big matter,” Niall replied.  “What matters the most is that you are still safe and sound.”

 

“It is a miracle and I’m grateful I did not commit suicide,” Niall thought.

 

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