Stigma: The Ripper

Search for the Ripper

After hearing the report that ‘The Ripper’ might be in one of the villages near them, the city officials immediately dispatch an army of veteran soldiers and the powerful officials to make the negotiation, they marched and reached the village almost at the size of a city in just a few hours. They crowd the streets and immediately went to the place where the soldiers said that they spot ‘The Ripper’. “Go and search the place. I don’t want a stone unturned.” The official with the highest authority ordered with a cold tone. “We must find him at all cost.”

               The soldiers then swarm the alleys of the village from his order in just a few moments but they returned without seeing the same figure as the other soldiers described. “Did all of you ask the people if they have seen a man wandering around that fits the description?!” the officer raise his voice as the soldiers nod their heads. “The people that we ask that lived near the alleys said that they saw no man walking in the alleys.” The officer then grabs the soldier’s collar and stare at his face for a brief moment before speaking.

               “I just hope that you are telling the truth.” He then turns his head around and orders the other soldiers to go and guard the entrance and the exit of the village. “Go and inspect all the people that comes in and out.” The soldiers split in three groups, the ones that stands in the entrance and the exits while the third group searches the nook and cranny of the village.

               The officers immediately went to the town hall and met with the people that have seen ‘The Ripper’. “So they are the ones that met him face to face? Is this the girl that held his arm?” he refers to the p********e that is still cowering in fear. The officer immediately notice her terrible shaking and reached the conclusion that asking her about what happened is pointless.

               “These are the soldiers that reported the sightings in the alley. Apparently, some thugs decided to rob him in broad day light and met with some serious consequences.” The soldiers look at the officer who seem to be observing them intensely. “I- I saw him, he cold look on his eyes. It felt like it was strangling me. It was suffocating.” The soldier said with a trembling voice. The other one also agrees with the first soldier and said the exact same thing. “What about you?  Did you feel the same thing-!”

               The officer’s face grew pale as he sees the eyes of the p********e filled with horror and fear. Being a veteran soldier in the past before he climbed the ranks of his city, he had seen people that reacted the same way after the war against other kingdoms. “Those eyes, people who have seen their death are the only ones to have those eyes. It really is him after all.” He thinks to himself as their claims bear truth. “Where are the thugs? Are they able to give any comments about him?” he turns to the officer that is guiding him through the building who then shakes his head.

               “They are in terrible shape. I can’t quite describe it myself.” The officer’s eyes strained after seeing the thugs fighting for their lives in the clinic. “One had a dislocated jaw, the other one looks like he has lost his limb forever, while the other two are suffering from internal bleeding inside their head and are still comatose. I don’t think they are in any shape to say anything Sir Bernard.” The officer then clicks his tongue and orders the officer with him.

               “Tell all of them to hold their weapons. Do not engage. I don’t want unnecessary deaths. Whatever they do, do not engage.” The officer then runs down the building and sent soldiers to both entrance and exits for the orders. “If he is able to deal with thousands of enemies at once, then that is all the more reason for us to stands down and approach him peacefully. Looking at how things are for the thugs, they do not have much time to live. Talk about stupid people using an easy way to get money. Let this be a lesson to people like them.” He thinks to himself after looking at the thugs one more time.

               “Let’s go. It would be faster if we were to look for him as well.” He said and all the officers then walks out of the building in hurry. “Reynold! Officer Bernard ordered to stand down. Nobody use their weapons at all cost!” a soldier runs toward the exit only to find that his subordinates are already lying on the floor and most of them are unconscious.

               A fellow soldier grabs his feet and spoke to him with a weak tone. “He’s here. The Ripper is here.” He said before finally passing out on the ground. The confused soldier then immediately runs back to where the others might be and meets them right when he turns to a corner. “The soldiers on the exit are down! They have engaged with ‘The Ripper’.” The officer then immediately runs to the where the exit is and find the soldiers rolling on the ground as if they were hit by something hard.

               “What a mess. Just when I was about to give the order not to engage and this happens.” Officer Bernard almost lost his mind after seeing that the men that he brought are all injured but he hopes that they only suffered mild injuries compared to the thugs that he saw in the clinic.  Make sure that none of them are dead! What rotten luck! Some of you go to that direction and whatever you do, do not engage. I repeat do not engage!” the soldiers then runs to the direction where the river is and disappeared in sight in mere seconds.

               “Are they in grave danger?” he ask the soldiers that are checking the injured and fortunately none of them are gravely injured. “Thank goodness. I thought I will have to bury another soul under my name.” the officer then sigh in relief after finding out about their conditions. “Take care of them, I will go after the others.” He said to the other officers and run off to the same direction.

               He can already see he silhouette of the soldiers in the distance and see that are standing on their side of the river. “What? Did you see him?” he asked the soldiers. They all shook their heads at his question. “No sir. There are no traces of a person that came here. Not even a soul is in sight when we got here. He might have struck down the soldiers a few minutes after we arrived. That is the only explanation that I can think of lord Bernard.” The soldier said after considering the time that a person need to have to disappear in that place.

               “Its all good. All that we should be thankful about is the fact that he is here. We can just monitor the other villages around here as well. Good job.” He then tells the soldiers to move out and return to the village after an unsuccessful journey. “Are you going back immediately? Are you not going to stay the night?” the officer in charge of the village asked the officer. “No, my men are injured and I should give them immediately medical attention. The doctors here have already had their hands full with the injured. I can’t add up to their worries any more.” The two officers then shake their hands before leaving the village.

               “I will tell the higher ups to send some additional people here. Seeing as he came here means that he might show up in the future. Please be vigilant and have your eyes opened the entire time.” He suggested before leaving in a carriage. Right after arriving back at the city, officer Bernard immediately tells the other officers that are left in the city of their findings and sent out squadrons to each and every village near them to monitor ‘The Ripper’ with a strict order of not engaging him at all cost. “I saw how the people that messed with him and lets just say that they have paid dearly for what they did to him. Avoid combat at all cost.” He suggested with a stern tone.

               “I knew it, it was really him.” The man beside the man with the eyepatch said after hearing the rumors of ‘The Ripper’ being seen in their village today. “f**k! Why didn’t I notice that?!” KLAK!” the man with the eye patch threw away a bottle to a wall in disappointment and anger in the thought that he could have ended his work earlier than expected.