【the（saboteur）】In the quiet corners of a small town, where everyone knows each other’s business, there was one person who remained an enigma—Mara. She wasn’t loud, nor did she draw attention to herself. In fact, she preferred to stay in the background, blending into the walls like a shadow. But behind that calm exterior was a mind that thrived on chaos.
It started with small things. A missing key, a broken phone, a misplaced document. At first, no one paid much attention. After all, life was full of accidents. But as the weeks passed, the incidents grew more frequent and more deliberate. The local baker found his oven out of order just before opening. The school principal received a fake report claiming the building was unsafe. Even the town’s annual festival was delayed due to a mysterious “technical issue.”
People began to whisper. Some blamed bad luck. Others suspected sabotage. But no one could prove it. And that was the point.
Mara had no friends, no family, no history of violence or crime. She worked at the library, quietly organizing books, answering questions, and keeping to herself. Yet, every time something went wrong, her name would come up in hushed conversations. She didn’t deny it. She never said a word. She simply watched, waiting for the right moment to strike again.
But why? What was her motive?
Some said she was angry at the world. Others believed she was seeking revenge for something lost long ago. But the truth was far more complex. Mara wasn’t trying to destroy the town—she was trying to reveal its fragility. She wanted to see how quickly people would turn on each other when faced with uncertainty. She wanted to test the strength of their trust, their loyalty, and their ability to survive.
And in doing so, she became the most dangerous person in town—not because she was violent, but because she knew exactly how to break things without being seen.
One day, the mayor announced a town meeting to address the growing unrest. People gathered, anxious and suspicious. They spoke of fear, of betrayal, of the unknown force that had been working behind the scenes. And then, someone pointed at Mara.
She stood up slowly, eyes steady, and said nothing. No explanation, no apology, no denial. Just silence.
In that moment, the town realized the real saboteur wasn’t the person they feared—but the fear itself.
And that, perhaps, was the greatest act of sabotage of all.
