Killing Game Quarter

Chapter 5: Burnt Bodies with No Clear Motive Part 3

Joseph.

Urkstin.

Risa.

Those three were the only potential culprits, they had to be. But even then, I didn’t want to think that one of them could have been lying to me. That thought that one of them was blatantly lying to hide the fact they killed Jambo was overwhelmingly depressing… 

“Attention Contestants,” The sound of the Loudspeaker coming on threw me out of that depressing hole I was just in, and keyed me in on the fact that the investigation was over. “Your time for investigating is over. Please report to the gym to begin your trial for Jambo Adebayo.” 

“... Looks like it’s time.” Mia remarked, immediately making her way out. Everyone else followed behind. I stuck behind, as thoughts started to swirl in my head. Mainly one primary thought.

‘What if I don’t attend the trial?’ 

Obviously, if I didn’t attend, I wouldn’t have to help convict someone I know as a friend… And then I won’t have to feel this burning sensation in my heart when I watch their body hand limp in front of me again.

I glanced down to the notepad I had. Notes, theories, sketches, scribbles. All of them seemed so unprofessional, because they weren’t. I don’t have to help them. I’m not a detective. I helped them once, and it got a friend of mine killed, so I can’t-

My eyes moved to something on the floor, catching my attention for a brief moment. 

It was… a blood trail. Not just a blood trail, it was more of a small bloody drag mark, going from the vent entrance to the door.

…That was it. That was the straw that broke the camel's back for me. From that one piece of evidence, pieces of the puzzle fit more, and I realized that this person, this culprit, wasn’t just lying to us. They were trying to frame someone. That one point made a new thought rise in my head.

‘They are trying to get us all killed. They want to make us vote wrong so they can win.’ 

With that thought in mind, I rushed out of the bathrooms, determined now, with a new goal in mind. Not to get someone killed, but to make sure that we all live, and to make sure that whoever did this repents for their sins, no matter what. 

I tried my best to force any of my emotions down in my brain, just so I could be fully prepared to take on this trial, and this bloodthirsty liar.

I eventually made it to the gym, where everyone else was waiting.

“Where were you?” Mia asked.

“I was writing something down. We don’t have to worry about it.” I responded, placing my notepad in my pocket, getting ready to be knocked out. Sure enough, after a few minutes of waiting, the entrance to the gym clicked, signifying that it was now locked, and a familiar hissing sound emanated around the room. 

The sound reminded me of the last time we were in this situation, but I shook off those thoughts, focusing on the trial we were about to face.

“See you on the other side, everyone.” Mia said, before sitting down, so she didn’t hit anything once she passed out, which she promptly did soon after. 

One by one we dropped, some following Mia’s lead and sitting down, some not. I can’t remember what I did, but I just remember being prepared as my mind went blank, just like the last time...

… 

… 

… 

…

…Once again, after an indeterminable amount of time, we woke up yet again, in that same room as before. This time, however, we had small stands in front of all of us as we came to. 

“Welcome to the other side, glad you finally decided to join us.” Came from Mia, who was already obnoxiously leaning on her stand.

“Yeah thanks, glad to see you care about me.” I retorted, standing up. “What the hell are these for?”

“They are for your convenience,” The Loudspeakers chimed, filling the room, “Standing around without anything to sit or stand on seemed awkward to me, so I made this as a compromise. I am also working on a compromise for the Chloroform situation. You may thank me later.” 

“I ain’t thanking ya for shit.” Poppy remarked, crossing her arms, trying not to touch the stands.

“In any case however, you all may begin the trial for contestant Jambo Adebayo. You may talk amongst yourselves until you have decided on who the culprit is, and then let me know. Once that has been decided on, you will all point to who the culprit is, as a way to vote. If you vote for the correct person, they will be taken care of. If you pick the wrong person, the real culprit gets to escape from here, while the rest of you will be taken care of. Good luck to you all. Court is now in session.”

“‘Taken care of’, Jesus, you can’t just admit that you kill them?” I mocked, genuinely pissed at their vocabulary used. The Loudspeakers sadly just shut off as a response, and I rolled my eyes.

“Right then, we should start then… I guess.” Urkstin murmured, sounding as though he wanted to get this over with quickly.

“Why don’t we start with a question that’s been in my head ever since we found the body.” Mia started, before bringing up our starting topic, “How did Jambo end up in that vent?”

“Maybe he went in there himself to escape from the group?” Risa suggested.

“Nah, unless he was goin’ in backwards, there’s no way he went in there himself.” Poppy retorted, using her hands to exemplify the body’s position in the vent, “He was facin’ the showers, remember?”

“Ah, right, my mistake hun. So does that mean he was dragged in?” She continued, suggesting another option.

“Well, that does seem to be our only option.” Joseph responded, with an awkward laugh, “Unless he was just teleported in.”

“There’s a small blood stain on the floor right in front of the vent,” I explained, holding up my quick sketch of the stain, “And Jambo’s head was bloodied as well, so it’s pretty much confirmed that he was caught off guard and dragged in, hitting his head on the way down.”

“But what about those makeshift vent covers? Are you saying they just moved the cover out of the way with no one noticing?” Akira questioned, seeming concerned that no one noticed.

“We were all focused on each other’s stories. It’s pretty likely that we simply missed the culprit moving those plates,” Mia explained, “However, that does bring into question why those plates exist.”

“It seems to have been created as a way to keep the heat from expelling out of the vents,” Liam suggested, “If the vents were heated, then there would have been residue heat inside the vent, correct Ms. Poppy?”

“Ah yeah! When we opened that s**t up in the bathrooms, a buncha heat came out like an oven. Nearly burned my face off.” Poppy hyperbolized.

“Where did that heat come from though?” Akira asked, “It’s not like a body would be able to create that much heat, right?”

“There was a blowtorch in the vent leading to the library,” I spoke, keeping my eyes away from anyone, to keep myself from reverting back to my emotional state, “That library vent splits off from the vent where Jambo’s body was.”

“How was the blowtorch lit? You usually need a source of fire to ignite it right?” Mia pondered. I could feel her gaze on me, waiting for an answer.

“Jambo had a lighter on him. He lended it to me the day before he died, so I could help him see something he was looking for.” I explained, trying not to get too into what Jambo and I were doing.

“So you’re saying the culprit pickpocketed the lighter from Jambo to light the blowtorch to heat the vents?” Urkstin asked.

“That seems to be the logical course of events.” Mia confirmed.

“Ok… but why?” Urkstin suddenly shot back, brining up a good point, and moving us into our next discussion for this confusing trial.