Commotion

For a few seconds, a huge drop of silence settled in the hall as everyone paused in disbelief at the sound of the thud.

The silence was so thick that it even, to an extent, clogged the minds of the people as they stood immobile at first, not offering help to the pale Ewan, who looked lifeless on the floor.

Elder Timothy and the other elders, who had been about to leave the hall, halted in their steps, their heads all turned aside to consider this act of shock, this event that spoke of an impending doom.

Eric and Shawn, who had been about to lead a stoic Alfonso out of the hall, also stopped and turned aside to behold this mystery.

Margeret, right at the doorpost, couldn't move out, as people who heard the thud—which had echoed as if announcing the fallen person was important—remained unmoving, and she, seeing this, had turned too. Disbelief riddled her expression when she saw what was causing the commotion.