Nick stood by the window of his bedroom, looking at the brightly lit construction site at the foot of the mountain. For no apparent reason, he thought of a novel called "Tom and Sam."
The night looked just like it had that day, and they too had been steadfastly yearning for freedom.
Nick was neither a racist nor a supporter of slavery. By the time he had been born, slavery was being abolished around the world.
Yet at this moment, his feelings were complicated. He could not say why.
Maybe the slaves were too pitiful?
Or maybe they were just too stupid!
He did not know.
Just as his thoughts wandered, a gunshot shattered the dark night. The loudspeakers at the construction site began blaring like an Air Raid Alert.
Several Armored Cars then rushed into the site, and gunfire erupted.
The entire battle lasted just over twenty minutes. The gunfire was intense; Nick could make out the sound of Machine Guns, and there was more than one.
At midnight, the New Year's bells rang. The broadcast delivered a distinctly old-fashioned "Happy New Year," but not a trace of celebration could be felt at the construction site below the mountain.
A knock at the door startled Nick. He picked up the Table Knife from the desk and asked, "Who is it?"
His voice had changed slightly from nervousness. It sounded like the shrill squeak an egg might make if someone squeezed it, which was a little ridiculous.
"Mr. Nick, it's me... There was an incident just now. I need to make sure you're safe and uninjured."
This man was a guard responsible for security in the area. Nick had seen him before.
He opened the door. Only after confirming that Nick was unharmed and that no Nagaril People were hiding