LOPEZ :ARIANNA MEMORY

chapter 02:At Ariana's grave(02)

At that time, Arthur Lopez was standing a few steps away from the grave, holding a g*n in his hand and a secret file in his pocket. He had received a call from an anonymous source telling him that the truth behind his wife’s murder lay in that graveyard, and that he should come alone if he wanted revenge. He did not trust the caller, but he could not ignore the opportunity that might reveal to him the mystery that had tormented him for days. But when he arrived at the graveyard, he found the door closed with chains and locks, and there was no sign of anyone. He was about to turn back, when he heard the sound of gunfire from inside the grave. He rushed towards the door, and tried to break it down forcefully, but it did not budge. Then he heard another scream, and this time it was very familiar. It was the scream of Jack Salnem, the guard who had been his friend for years. Arthur was terrified and angry, and he began to bang on the door with all his might, calling Jack’s name. But there was no response. Suddenly, he heard another voice, a sound of evil and arrogant laughter. It was the voice of the caller who had invited him to the graveyard. “Welcome to the Liz City Cemetery, Arthur,” he said in a hoarse voice. “I hope you enjoy the show. You are the guest of honor in this game, which will only end with your death. I am the only one who knows the truth behind your wife’s murder, and I will not tell you unless you survive this game. But don’t worry, You won't survive. I've set traps and puzzles for you in this tomb, and you have to solve them and overcome them if you want to get out alive. But don't expect to find any help from anyone. Jack Salnem was part of my plan, and I've already eliminated him. As for you, you're alone in this tomb, and no one will hear your screams. Are you ready to begin? Let's see if you deserve the truth, or if you'll die like your wife. Come on, don't waste time. The game has already begun. And I'm waiting for you at the end. Good luck, Arthur. You'll need it." Then the voice cut off, leaving Arthur in a state of shock and despair. He didn't know who the caller was, what his motives were, or what truth he was hiding from him. But he was sure of one thing: he wouldn't give up, and he wouldn't let his wife and friend die without punishment. He had to find a way to open the door, enter the tomb, and confront the criminal who was playing with his life. He had to reveal the truth, even if it cost him his life.

After the threatening voice stopped, Arthur began to think quickly about how to open the door. He did not have a key or a sharp tool that he could use to cut the chains and locks. But he remembered that he was holding a g*n in his hand, and that he might be able to shoot the locks and break them. He was not sure that this method would work, but he had no other choice. He took a deep breath, pointed the g*n at one of the locks, and pulled the trigger. He heard an explosion, and felt the recoil in his hand. He looked at the door, and saw that the lock had been broken, and the chain had been slightly loosened. Feeling a little hopeful, he reloaded the g*n, and shot the other lock. He heard another explosion, and saw that the second lock had also been broken, and the chain had fallen to the ground. He felt joyful, and pushed the door hard. The door opened, and revealed to him the entrance to the tomb. Arthur entered the tomb, and closed the door behind him. He knew that he had entered a dangerous game, and that he must be careful of the traps and puzzles that awaited him.

The cemetery was dark and eerie, with no source of light except for a few glowing candles on the sides of the walls. Arthur couldn’t see more than a few feet in front of him. He heard strange and disturbing sounds, like whispering, hissing, clicking, and stomping. He felt cold and damp, and the foul smell of dirt, mold, and death. He held the g*n in his right hand, and the secret file in his left. He walked with cautious and slow steps, trying to be ready for anything. He didn’t know where to go, or what to look for. He hoped to find some clue or pointer that would lead him to the truth behind his wife’s murder.

After walking for a while, Arthur came to an intersection of three passages. He did not know which passage to choose, as they all looked the same and were dark. But he noticed that there was a plaque hanging on the wall above the intersection, written in b****y writing:

"Welcome to the cemetery, Arthur. This is the first of the riddles you have to solve. There are three passages ahead of you, each with its own destination. The left passage leads to hell, where fire and torment await you. The middle passage leads to heaven, where peace and happiness await you. The right passage leads to truth, where answers and revenge await you. You must choose one of the passages, but beware, not everything is as it seems. Only one of the passages leads to what it claims, and the other two lead to certain death. You cannot go back, and you cannot change after choosing. Think carefully, use your mind and heart. And remember, time is passing, and the game is not over yet."

Arthur read the plaque in astonishment and confusion. How could he solve this puzzle? How could he know which passage was correct? Could he trust what was written on the plaque, or was it just a trick? What did the mysterious caller want from him? And what would he find at the end of the corridor he chose?

Arthur began to think quickly about all the possibilities and probabilities. He wanted to go to the truth, that was his ultimate goal. But he was afraid that this corridor was a trap, and that he would fall into death. He also wanted to go to heaven, where he might meet his beloved wife. But he was afraid that this corridor was a trick, and that he would fall into hell. As for the left corridor, he never wanted to go there, because it led to hell, which no one would wish for. But he doubted that this corridor was true, and that this corridor might be a trick.

As he thought about all these things, he heard the voice of the mysterious caller again, saying to him: "What are you waiting for, Arthur? Are you afraid of choosing? Do you want to give up? Don't forget that time is running out, and that you don't have much. If you don't choose one of the corridors before the time runs out, the g*n in your hand will explode, and everything will be over. So, hurry up, and choose. But remember, only one of the corridors is correct. Do you know which one? Do you want me to give you a hint? Well, I'll be generous with you, and I'll give you a little hint. The answer is in the file in your hand. Yes, the secret file that you got from an anonymous source, which contains some information about your wife and her murder. Did you read it carefully? Did you notice anything strange or interesting? Did you find any connection between the file and the corridors? If you are smart, you will find the answer. If you are stupid, you will die. The choice is yours. And time is running out. Ten, nine, eight..."

Continued in chapter 03