Part 61: Dropping like Flies

_{content warning: emetophobia}

[BGM: Steadfast Gallop]


And so, I raced over to the staircase that Monkey mentioned. The mix of emotions in my chest were complicated and powerful. They pushed me forwards with a very determined energy. Climbing the stairs, I didn't even hear my feet touch the steps. One moment I was on the first floor, the next I was on the second. There, just like Monkey had said, Tiger and Bunny were in a nearby classroom.

Tiger! Bunny!

[BGM: Silence]


I wanted to start with the bad news, but something stopped me. What if one of them was the murderer? That fear tugged at my heart. It was a new feeling. A bad feeling.

…

What is it?

Did either of you just leave the other one's sight?

Uh, no. That's the point of pairing up, right?

Yeah, we've been searching everywhere with each other, Mouse.

Under my breath, there was a sigh of relief.

Why, did something happen?

...Pig's been shot. She's dead.

[BGM: Final Squeal]


The looks of surprise and concern that crossed their faces were genuine. Neither of them were the culprit.

That's horrible. Do you know who did it?

No, they shot through a door and ran.

Dammit! Who would do something that terrible? To just shoot somebody and flee! That's just cowardice!

Yeah, it fucking sucks, Tiger. Anyways, I'm trying to get the group all in one place as soon as possible.

A sensible approach.



So you're saying we should head down to the cafeteria?

Yeah, as soon as possible.

Gotcha.

Alright, you go ahead and do that, Tiger.

You're not coming?

I'm going to sweep the classrooms in this hallway first, see if anybody's around so I can tell them what's happened.

This statement gave me pause. It was reasonable enough. Bunny had an alibi when Pig was shot. So it should've been fine, right? But suggesting it like that felt... manipulative.

That's a good idea, Bunny. Mind if I tag along?



Uh, if you want to, sure thing!

Okay, well, I'll just go wait in the cafeteria then. You guys be sure to look around quick, alright?

Will do!

And so now I was partnered with Bunny, while Tiger was the one going off on her own. Bunny and I didn't make much conversation – after all, we were keeping a quick pace. The sense of urgency still flowed through my veins. We checked room after room, looking through them all to try and find other people. But it seemed like the second floor was something of a wasteland. When we had made it to the other side of the building, we decided to take the staircase back down to the first floor and look around there.

There, on the first floor, we saw Horse standing in the hallway, looking into the library. Looking distressed.

Hey Horse, there's something you have to hear. Actually, first – where's Sheep?

As we approached him, and began to get a view inside the library, I got an answer to that question in the worst way.

[BGM: Mousetrap]


In the library, limp against a bookshelf, Sheep lay motionless. But... Not only Sheep. Not only was Sheep dead... but so was Tiger. To my utter shock and disbelief, Tiger lay in the middle of the library floor, blood leaking from her neck.

What the hell?!

This is...

Immediately, I felt my stomach drop. It wasn't sadness or horror; it was disgust that filled me. I weakly wandered away from the scene, only to begin retching onto the hallway. I just couldn't hold it in – the scene was so viscerally vile. Sheep and Tiger... dead? Dead like that? Dead permanently? Sheep was so sweet... Tiger was so cheerful... Sheep's death was bad. What was worse was the fact that I had let Tiger go down here by myself.

Was it... was it my fault?

Faintly, I could hear the conversation of Bunny and Horse in the background. I needed to pull myself together. They might be dead, but I wasn't. In an immediate 180, I turned around and marched up to Bunny and Horse.



Horse... what happened here? Why are these two dead?

I would tell you if I knew.

But it's so... so awful!

Indeed. I hold more grief for this than you.

Sure about that?

No.

Oh, well, that's honest I guess. But seriously, what happened here?



While I talked to Horse, Bunny had made his way inside the room, and began to inspect the... I guess it would be a crime scene?

I can simply tell you what I know. Sheep and I were looking around the school together. Then, Sheep went to free Monkey from her restraints again.

Oh, so Sheep also went to help Monkey like that? Makes sense that I wouldn't be the only person to recognize the situation. While I thought this to my self, Horse continued to speak.

In her stead, I continued to search through an office. It's the one right over here, near this library.

Horse pointed out the door and, indeed, there was an office right by the library.

I... I focus a lot when I'm looking for things, so I was a little out of it. But in the back of my head, I thought I heard a commotion nearby. So I left the office and came to the source of the noise. This library. There, I saw this sight before me.



But before I could comprehend it, I felt a blow to the back of my head.

To the back of your head?

The idea of being able to strike the head of someone as tall as Horse frightened me.

Believe me, it shocks me just as much as it shocks you.

Anyways, the blow was strong, so it took me a couple of seconds to get to my feet. When I did, there was nobody to find, and I was still left with this scene. That's when you came by.

I see, I see. But man... to kill Pig, then Sheep and Tiger, in such a short time span? Who is this monster?

At this, Bunny walked back over.



So, uh, I did a bit of investigating.

If it makes you feel any better, Sheep died very quickly.

…

Crushed windpipe. Dead, just like that. I didn't find any signs that a tool was used, so I guess the windpipe was crushed by hand. A very impressive feat of strength. ...Tiger didn't seem to have it so easy.

The lamp on this desk, it hit the side of her skull so hard that it bent. She also has a bruise around her left eye.



Oddly enough, there was this weird skull luchador thing gripped in her right hand.

Weird.

Right? I don't know how that's relevant. And as for the thing that killed her, well, her throat was stabbed multiple times with a pen.

That's... horrible.

Yeah. And for Tiger, someone so raring for a fight, to get killed like that? Pretty shocking stuff.

…

Say Horse, you said you came over to the library pretty soon after you heard the struggle?

I did.

And the blow that hit you came from behind?

Indeed.

Well, that's odd to me.

[BGM: Lucky Foot]


See, the library only has this one door for an exit. It does have another smaller room inside it, but that place is a dead end.

…

Horse. Are you the other traitor?

Are you accusing me?

I'm just saying, the evidence doesn't look great for you right now.

I did not kill either of them.

Horse said this so sternly, so... matter of fact. I don't know why, but for some reason, it felt so genuine, I couldn't help but believe him.



I think he might be telling the truth here, Bunny?

Seriously, Mouse? I thought you were smart, you're buying this?

I'll admit this crime scene doesn't look great, but would Horse really kill Sheep?

Uh, yeah?

Okay then, what about Pig?

What about Pig?

Pig was shot through the stomach. And it's not like the bullet was angled particularly down or anything, it seemed to mostly be a straight shot. So unless Horse was on his knees when shooting Pig, I have a hard time seeing him as the culprit.

...Well, I guess that makes sense.

Thank you, Mouse, for seeing reason.



Anyways, you should probably go and gather the others and tell them all that's happened. I'll stay here with Horse, maybe investigate a bit more.

You do that.

And once more, I separated from the group to try and find the others. 1 dead, now 3... we were really dropping like flies. But I couldn't afford to linger like that. We had spent too much time in that back and forth with Bunny. Time we couldn't afford. I rushed up to the third floor to try and look for people, to tell them about what had happened.

Before long, I found Rooster and Ox in some history classroom.



Ah, Mouse! Glad to have you here, please, come in and make yourself feel at home.

What's wrong, Mouse? Why aren't you with Pig?

So, Rooster was acting dumb and Ox caught on quick. Business as usual.

I can't imagine that you let Rooster out of your sight, right Ox?

No, I can vouch for his location this whole time.

Hey, right back at you, buddy! I've been watching you like a hawk!

Alright then. Here's what's been happening.



In as few words as I could, I explained the situation to those two.

That's awful! Tragic! Unspeakable!

...Well, I guess it's speakable...

I didn't think something like this would actually happen. I guess Monkey was right to be concerned.

No kidding. Anyways, I'm gathering everybody in the cafeteria to try and discuss things.

Okay. We'll head down there now.

Right. Right after we finish this puzzle.

Rooster, seriously? People are dead.

But I'm soooo close!

Wait, what are we talking about?



We found a safe, so we're trying to solve the puzzle to open it. Well, more accurately, I'm trying to solve the puzzle to open it, he's just been punching in random number combinations.

Hey now, let's not be so dismissive! Everybody has their own puzzle-solving style.

Just because you don't appreciate my style doesn't mean you have to be mean about it.

…

Thanks for taking one for the team, Ox.

Well, somebody had to.

Anyway, Rooster's not wrong in that we're close. And even though we need to discuss waht's happened, we also need to find Minor Trinkets. Once we finish up here, we'll head down to the cafeteria – how's that sound?



To be honest, I wasn't in love with the idea. I was trying to gather everybody in one place, so to keep people separated... Well, so long as they stayed together, things should be fine.

Alright, just make sure you don't take too long.

Trust me, I don't want to spend any longer in a room alone with Rooster than I have to.

I'm, like, right here, guys.

I know.

And with that, I left them to continue their puzzle solving. I jogged down the hallway, popping into more classrooms, trying to find more people. Before too long, I ran into another unhappy pairing. Snake and Dragon were thoroughly inspecting a classroom in silence before I barged in.



Mouse. 'Sup.

...So the murders have begun?

The hell?

Dude, what the fuck are you talking about?

Mouse ran in here, without her partner, in a distressed state. The only thing I can imagine leading to such a situation would be if people have begun to die.

That's freaky, and also probably not right, but I don't have time to argue about that. For what it's worth, you were correct in that people have begun to die.

Seriously? You're not shitting me?

Most unfortunate.



Wait, then what's been the point of having this prick following me around then? I thought that was to prevent killings.

Yeah, that's what I thought too. Anyways, Pig was shot from behind a door right in front of me. Then, Tiger and Sheep were killed in the library, and Horse was assaulted.

Woah, what the hell's been going on?

That's what I'm trying to figure out. For now, I'm gathering everybody in the cafeteria. Can you guys head over there?

Sure thing.

Without so much as another comment, Dragon walked out of the door and began to make her way to a nearby staircase. I made to follow her, but before that, Snake grabbed my arm. I sighed. I couldn't imagine anything good coming of this.

Yes, Snake?

[BGM: Silence]


What's with that tone of voice already? You know, Mouse, I'm starting to suspect you don't like me.

Snake, we're in a high-tension situation right now, and I'm not really in the mood for your whole deal. If you've got something to tell me, just say it.

Okay, okay, I was getting to that. Anyways, just to preface, this might not be that important. Already, I view it as something of a stret-

Get to it.

Right, right.

So, recently, I have observed something... unusual. Here's the thing-



Before I could hear what 'the thing' was, I heard the sound of shouting. This was the second time in but so many minutes someone was cut off before saying something. To make it worse, it was Rooster shouting. I was so, so tempted to just ignore him, but unfortunately, it sounded pretty serious.

Hey, anybody, somebody, come here, quick! Is there a doctor in this school? Please, it's a matter of life and death, we've got a situation on our hands!

...Another time, then.

And with that, Snake ran towards the sound of Rooster's voice. And I? I followed him. Of course I did! And when I got there, for the third time in but so much time, I was horrified. My momentum came to a sudden stop as the world seemed to spin around me.

Because before my eyes, in the doorway to the classroom I had left him in, Ox was lying there, bleeding out. Dying.