Part 45: Butcher's Truth

_{content warning: discussion of child death, suicide}

[BGM: A True Foal]


I thought... I thought splitting up to look for Trinkets was dangerous. I wanted a better idea, where there wasn't the chance for things to go wrong. But then I realized, we didn't need to look for Minor Trinkets. We could use the ones we had.

If we just all used our abilities in the right order, everyone could make it to the finish line and no one person would be able to get far ahead of the group. We could stick together in one room, with Tiger as a guard, and take turns inputting our designated move.

But I realized that the math didn't quite work. There were too many people whose abilities didn't move fast enough.



And then I remembered. I had the Sheep's Clothing. We had found it, Mouse.

What does the Sheep's Clothing have to do with anything?

If I had Horse's ability, things would work out. So I didn't think about it much, I just... acted. Without consulting the group. I used it, and became a copy of Horse. But then... then...

Not only had my action changed, but so did my personality.



I was now a copy of Horse... I had the determined personality!

What?!

I realized this in the same room where I found a hidden pistol. I was freaking out, but then that announcement played on the pad. A butcher's knife? Was it Horse? I walked out of my room, and I saw Horse standing there. He was holding it.

He wasn't looking at me, and... I panicked, and then, before I knew it I just... fired!

I killed him.



I tried to hide it, but Dog came across the scene and... There was an argument...

Sheep started to mumble. She wasn't meeting any of our eyes. We could finish the story for ourselves. Dog, the unseen victim.

If I didn't do something, everyone would blame me for those murders. But if I was the only witness...

I'm pathetic.

Sheep... So really, this was just one big accident?



Don't give her that much credit. In the end, she just chose to put her own life above ours, and in doing so committed murder. It's sad, but it's not an excuse.

Then, you think she should have simply accepted her fate? Accept death? Not many have that conviction.

She did accept death. The deaths of every single other person in this school. Don't get me wrong, I can see where she's coming from in all of this. But I have trouble sympathizing.

I do sympathize with her. I really do, but Sheep, even in that situation... What you did was wrong.

She didn't speak after that. None of us did. Sheep didn't even try to escape. She probably knew it was pointless. Eventually, Snake wandered in the room. We explained the situation to him. He accepted it pretty easily. Bunny, too, after some time passed, he found us and joined us in the wait.



We input our actions for the fifth round, going one at a time. The group was talking about what to do next, but Sheep just sat silently. And then, seemingly out of nowhere, Sheep began to talk.

[BGM: Mourning Crow]


I didn't use to stay to myself.

You wouldn't think it, but I was actually a rebel when I was younger. A real troublemaker, had a number of friends. I thought it was cool how I had a really bad reputation in my neighborhood. Mostly I just wanted to emulate my two older sisters.

What? What are you talking about all of a sudden?

I kind of hated them, because they were often mean to me, and they used to blame me for everything. But they were cool, so I wanted to be like them. Then, one day, my parents left me in charge, let me look over my younger brother.

I was such a good kid. That's why I disliked him. In fact, I hated him, but I never wanted... I thought he was smart enough that he didn't need me looking over him.

I even let him take a bath by himself. Then my older sisters called. I don't know why, just to tease me I guess. They were really annoying, and we got into a heated argument. I completely wasn't paying attention.



And then I heard a thud. I don't know what went through Smith's smart brain that made him think that running right after getting out of the bathtub was a good idea.

I don't know what made him run. I guess I'll never know. But I can guess. It was probably because he was still a little kid. Because I was supposed to look after him, and I didn't.

It's his fault that he ran. It's my fault that I didn't watch. It's my parents' fault for trusting me. And it's no one's fault that the slip ended up being at just the right angle to have him fall down the stairs, to have him twist his neck like that.

The funeral was soon after.

Sheep...

You know the first thing I tried to do? Blame it on my older sisters.

Well, that was only natural. After all, the first thing they did was try to blame it on me.



But my mom wasn't hearing any of it. She wasn't hearing anything. She was onset by two fronts. On the one hand, the grief of losing her only son was wrecking her mind. On the other, she had to deal with the thunderstorm of rumors.

Those rumors. Of the accident. Of how this troubled, disturbed kid was the only one around when the brother she hated slipped to his death. The atmosphere in the neighborhood around me took a serious turn.

At best, I had let my brother die. At worst, I had made him die. It was horrible. I was in middle school at the time.

From there, I turned my behavior around. I became an honor student, the cleanest of the clean, determined to live a virtuous life. Determined to not give any credence to the rumors which haunted and corrupted my parents.

Didn't help much. When the news made it way to my school, life became hellish. Kids like to believe the more fun versions of stories. It was more fun if I killed him. And the worst bullies are the ones who think their victims deserve it.

Come college time, I couldn't move far enough. My whole life, I've been sure to never give people a reason to blame me. My father moved on, but my mother never truly recovered from her son's death.



She still doesn't know what to think of it. If I ever give her reason to believe I might've... she'd sooner die than believe that.

That's my sin, isn't it, Brian?

Brian?

[BGM: Silence]


After Mr. Bowen was killed in that awful, terrible murder, I was one of the first suspects. Of course I was. After all, I was his secretary. I was there at the time of the murder.

I was the one who found the collapsed security guard, the one who called the cops. I was the one with the biggest holes in my alibi, the one with all the keys, the one who knew him best.

Eventually, my innocence was proven, but before that I was deathly afraid I might be labeled a murderer in all of this. If even that rumor got back...

So when the cops asked me about Mr. Morris, told me that they were looking to make a case against him, I threw him as far under the bus as I could.

Anything he might've known about he knew about. Any grudge he might've had against Mr. Bowen, he had it. Any character flaws he might've possessed, he had that and more. I believe that it was largely my depiction of him which made the cops so sure they had the right man.

And that's why you put me through all this, isn't it, Brian?



Unexpectedly, a voice came across on the speakers.

…So you admit that you slandered my father? Defiled his name, handed the police the noose?

I didn't lie about a single thing in my testimony about those events. And your father wasn't a perfect angel, I only exaggerated, never created.

And Brian, though you hate to admit it, it's clear that your father was in fact the person who killed Mr. Bowen, the evidence is overwhelming.

But yes, I admit it. I'm responsible for getting him executed. And for that, I'm sorry.



I'll never forget October 11th. The day this all started, when you think about it.

We all waited a while for the Jade Emperor's response. None came. Instead, after a time, Sheep made a request.

[BGM: Weak Pig]


Mouse... can you kill me?

What?

I want you to kill me, right here, right now.

Why?!

I know what's bound to happen. It'll be an execution. And the way Brian described it, it sounds awfully slow and painful.

I'm a coward, Mouse. I don't want that.

But we don't know that for sure! Maybe there's a way for you to survive!

There isn't.



I feel like I've been controlled by that past all my life. Now I feel nothing. Just end it.

That's not... Even if you messed up, you don't deserve to die!

Don't deserve to die? I'm pretty sure a serial murderer of four is worth the death penalty in most states.

If this were taken to court, I doubt it. The circumstances are bizarre, but there are plenty of mitigating factors. At the very least, I imagine you'd get life in prison before a death penalty.

I know I'm being selfish here Mouse, but... please. Just let me go peacefully. One gunshot to the head is all it takes.



I looked to the others, hoping for input.

I think that we could all use a little forgiveness, right? If she wants to be shot, let her be shot.

True. However, this raises an interesting moral quandary. Even if she will die anyways, to shoot her would be to kill her yourself.

That can be... psychologically damaging.

Morally, I'd say it's on par with assisted euthanasia. Honestly, I don't think it matters much one way or the other, though that may be a cold reading of the situation.

I... I...

...I'll do it.

Mouse! Are you sure?

I am.



Thank you Mouse. You were always nice to me. I'm glad.

...she was??

…

I'm sorry, everyone. Maybe this'll make things right.

More death never makes things right.

I see. Then go ahead and shoot.

For the first time, I realized just how heavy the pistol in my hands was. It was a slow, nervous process.

Readying the gun.

Aiming it.

Right at her head, I pointed it.

And then... Goodbye, Sheep.

*bang!*

…



Afterwards, the group left the room. No one wanted to look at that. Everyone gathered in the cafeteria. Rooster finally found the group. Apparently, he had been obliviously searching for Trinkets this whole time, and found a few. But that didn't really matter anymore. We all used the trinkets and moved as a group.

At one point, Tiger left the group. She didn't explain herself, but no one felt like following her. We know why she took her leave. She must've wanted her final moments to herself. We had to respect that.

Eventually, all the survivors crossed the line together. And the Jade Emperor announced our victory. He also announced the defeat of Sheep and Tiger. Two collars activated throughout the building. It was a very silent experience.

[BGM: Silence]


I don't know if a cumulative hundred words passed amongst the group since leaving Sheep's room. But at least we were alive, right? That had to count for something.

In the end, myself, Ox, Bunny, Snake, Monkey, and Rooster escaped. Half survived. But half died, for very poor reasons. It all felt... empty. I guess that was the Jade Emperor's goal. Well then, good work, Brian.

You dick.



[Ending – 9 of Spades]

If nothing is found in the first three rounds but the Sheep's Clothing, trinkets, and weapons, Horse will be assigned a role that forces him to act.

Furthermore, if Sheep does not trust the group, she will go on her own, and come up with a plan. Without telling anyone else, she will enact her plan, and that will lead to ruin.

It's highly unlikely Sheep will be able to win as a traitor. However, she is prone to rash judgments and risky play. Very unpredictable. From the start, this line of action may be too unreliable.