I am sitting on the floor against the white wall as I stare at the red carpet I sit on. The area is crowded and people walk into and out of my room in front of me.

I sit in a trance, not knowing what the time is, nor what is going on inside my room. I clutch the batman mask in my hand. I hadn't told them that this was found next to her... or rather, they did not ask me.

Her....Malak!!!
My eyes are red but I refuse to allow the tears to fall from my eyes. I refuse to believe that all this is true.

She was alive just now. She had phoned me. She was in trouble and I was enjoying my chocochinno. It's my fault!! Only mine.

After I had screamed, people had come into the room and saw Malak lying lifeless on the floor. Someone, I really don't know who, brought me outside and I just fell against the corridor wall and onto the floor. I have been sitting on this red carpet since.

A loud buzzer or alarm rings indicating an emergency on the cruise. Panic washes over the crowd and the people on the other decks.

The entire security team comes up to the room and apparently, a famous crime investigator, who had been on a government holiday, is coincidentally on the cruise as well. He takes charge of the situation and the chaos and panic that had spread amongst the people on the cruise, calms down for a while. Not totally...

My phone vibrates again and again. It rings a few times but I ignore it. I know that it's either one of my friends, Richard or even Mr murderer. Why should I answer their calls? Who are they to console me? They didn't even like Malak in the first place. And now they will pretend to care.

After about 3 to 4 hours, the crowd around my room lessens and after a while its only the crime investigator and one or two security personnel.

A pair of brown boots comes before my eyes. Seriously? Brown boots on a cruise? I look up at a man of medium height in about his mid to late twenties. He scratches his stubble of a beard and questions me, "Miss Brown?"

I look up at him with a blank expression on my face. Is he calling me? He said Miss Brown. Is miss Brown my name? Oh yes it is. He is calling me. I switch back to reality.

I nod. "Uhhh I am chief investigating officer Jeremy Brian. Also known as Detective Brian." He extends his hand towards me. I nod again dumbly.

"I would have to ask you a few questions.", he tells me. I stare at him and blink my eyes. "Sorry did you say something?", I ask him as I forget what he has just said, too distracted by my thoughts.

He looks at me sympathetically and then smiles. "Nothing, I think that you should go to sleep. It's is very late. I will have a word with the hotel manager to make new arrangements for your stay. I will have a meeting with you first thing in the morning."

I nod again. He smiles that sympathetic smile again and starts to walk away. Then, I don't know what makes me stop Detective Brian. "Detective!!", I shout a little too loud. He halts and turns to me. "Yes, is anything wrong?", he asks.

"Yes, I mean no, I just wanted to ask you, which room is yours? What room are you staying at?", I ask him. He looks at me weirdly, surprised at the question.

"Uhmm, 5th deck, room 103. Why? Is there any information that you need to hand over to me?", he asks.
"No, tell Mr Lee Hong to get me a room near yours please.", It was more than a request, it was like an order. Startled, it is the detective's turn to nod dumbly.

They take her body out of our room.
"Left...turn the body towards your left."
I snort. "The body." .... Malak... her name is Malak. Her name was Malak.

Then, they take her away, and she passes my hopeless, sitting self. Her eyes stare right at me as they take her away. Why do I feel like those eyes are hiding many skeletons.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Amy! Please don't ever hate me. Please remain like this.

Everyone hates me!

I like Richard.

I happen to know him too. I met him last year at the Mexican food festival when dad took me to Amsterdam in the Summer holidays for his conference meeting. I must say, he really is a very funny guy.

If my parents didn't hate me, they wouldn't have just left me alone like this...

Malak's beautiful face flashes before my eyes as I lie down on my new bed in my new room just a few doors away from Detective Brian's.

Her ways of secretly smiling. Her ways of annoying everyone around her. Her flipping her hair. The fact that she knew how gorgeous she really was. The only thing she ever wanted was for her parents and people to show that they care about her.

As I drift off to a very much needed sleep, the blue, lifeless face of Malak with the stuffed green sock in her mouth haunts my mind and I fail to sleep. The tears threaten to fall from my eyes but NO! I am stronger than that. Why should I cry?

Then it hits me.
She has been murdered.
Killed. Killed by...SOMEONE.
There is a MURDERER on the cruise.

Who? Why?
These are questions that are almost impossible to answer.
Who did not like Malak? Everyone.
Why? Several reasons, mainly her stinky attitude.
I'm sure that the Detective would find the murderer by tomorrow. They won't spare him.

Is the murderer already found???

But which ruthless animal killed Malak. Who is this person? Tomorrow, I would ask Detective Brian to allow me to meet the murderer personally. I'm sure that he would not refuse. I would like to see the horrid face of the person that had done this to my friend.

My friend. Yes she was. I love you Malak.

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Heyy my lovely readers. I'm so glad that people are liking this story. I know that you guys are disappointed that Malak is the one that has been killed. I know, I love her myself. In fact, her character is inspired by a really good friend of mine.

I know that this chapter was a little short. Pls forgive me.
I love you all.

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