The dark night, accompanied by the sound of owls, made the atmosphere tense. The owl’s hoots echoed as I successfully leaped over a small ditch. I chuckled to myself. Did you think I’d be afraid of you, dear owl? You’re mistaken. I’m even scarier than the ghost itself. Fear is my close companion. It’s my weapon.
I kept walking, passing through bushes and crossing rice field embankments until I reached the paved road. I took the shortcut, a narrow path only used by those going to the fields or someone desperately needing to relieve themselves by the stream on the other side. I walked calmly, my bundle of tools ready for tonight’s work. I’ll surely succeed again. This village is quite deserted, especially at night, let alone on such a dark night. I kept walking. At the end of the road, I saw a rather large house with bright lights. I avoided the light as I made my way towards the wealthy widow’s house.
The wealthy widow who owned this house must be asleep by now. The lights inside the house were off. I slowed my pace. I observed the surroundings to ensure it was safe. As I got closer, I noticed that the lights in a room on the right side were still on. I hid behind the lush, dark foliage of a banyan tree. Is the widow still awake at this hour of the night? I felt anxious. Maybe I should wait for a few moments. Perhaps she’ll go to sleep soon. I climbed a banyan branch to peek into the room through the ventilation hole. The widow exited the room and headed towards the living room. The lights were on. But shortly after, the lights went out again. Even the front lights of the house went out. What’s going on with this person? I stayed still, monitoring the situation.
Suddenly, I heard the sound of dried leaves being stepped on from the path I had just crossed. Footsteps became faintly audible in the distance. The longer I listened, the clearer the footsteps became in my ears. The next moment, a figure appeared, getting closer. I couldn’t recognize who it was in the darkness. My gaze shifted back to the widow’s house. Suddenly, the door opened, and the dark figure headed towards it. Who is this person? I became more curious. The house lights were turned on again. It was Sarjud, wasn’t it? Yes, my sight wasn’t mistaken. Then, what was that scoundrel doing coming here on such a dark night? The house lights went out again. From the ventilation hole, I saw them entering the room. Disgusting! Since when did the widow become his lover? He seemed so nice in front of people! The reality? Disgusting! No better than me! Here I am, risking everything to provide for my family. Him? What a bastard to provide for that stingy widow’s soul!
Should I wait for them to finish their “game” to proceed with my plan? They won’t take long. Sarjud is such a weakling. He won’t last long playing with the widow. And it’s unlikely that Sarjud will stay here overnight. If the villagers find out, he’s done for. Maybe that scoundrel from the village decided to come here after watering the crooked fields just to dare enter someone’s house on such dark nights.
I sat calmly on the banyan tree branch, contemplating my strategy for entering the luxurious house later. Oh, the widow must be exhausted after dealing with Sarjud. This will make things easier for me. Damn, suddenly, I sneezed. I couldn’t hold it in. Who can hold a sneeze? Certainly not me. Then I glanced at the room. The lights were off. I heard the door creak. Perhaps Sarjud was leaving the house. He must have heard me sneezing, thinking I was a villager about to expose their affair. I knew. I’m a bad person. No need to report fellow criminals. I’m not the type of criminal who pretends to be good by reporting others’ crimes. To me, my crime is mine. And to him, his crime is his.
The house was surrounded by banana trees. Maybe he slipped in there. Meanwhile, the neighbor’s house was quite far. I had to leave. I didn’t want to waste my time here. I needed to get provisions for my wife and children tonight. I hurriedly climbed down from the banyan tree and left the house’s premises quickly. My first mission tonight was a total failure. I kept walking, cursing repeatedly as I ran.
From one corner of the village, I heard the sound of a gong striking once. The sound echoed in the dark night. The gong sound came from the neighborhood watchman hitting the gong to signal one o’clock. I began to feel uneasy. Dawn would come soon. Many people would patrol to wake up for the pre-dawn meal. I needed to get my “spoils” before morning arrived.
I walked through the darkness on the outskirts of the ditch behind the residents’ settlements. Here, it was somewhat crowded. I had to be more careful. If caught, my family’s fate would hang by a thread again. I didn’t want to repeat my mistake when my actions were caught by villagers just before last year’s Eid. My friends were too reckless and couldn’t assess the situation properly back then. Now, I prefer a solo career, working alone. No need for discussions, just take the profit alone. Remembering my failure back then made me a bit scared. I almost died at the hands of the villagers. Luckily, the police saved my life.
I kept walking