Eternal Dream Murder Mystery

I woke with a start, for a few moments not remembering that the dog had dragged me back to his room. I don't remember falling asleep at any time but here I was. I feel awake, for once, it's been a long time since I've woken up and felt really awake instead of wanting to go back to sleep. Usually this means a good day for me, but then I remember the events of yesterday and why Akamu dragged me here.

I grit my teeth to hold back momentary tears, then I roughly shake my head to get a grip on myself. I would need to be calm today. I get up from where I was sleeping and say, "I'm going to find something to eat before I do anything today."

So I walk away and do as I said, I go to the kitchen and grab some Pop-Tarts from nowhere and eat them in the wonderfully empty dining room. It's not much of a meal but I don't want to eat too much in case I get sick this morning. I throw away the wrapper and then roam the halls in search of where we left Masquerade. In doing so, I pass the Room of Generality. Glancing inside, I see yet another grisly scene of death and mark it dispassionately in my mind for later. When I reach Masq, I want to cry again but somehow I don't. I force myself to see the scene for what it is, a crime scene.

There are footprints in the pool of blood, but none that I don't recognize. I realize belatedly that that doesn't help, the only people who could've killed Masq here are all members. I crouch down and touch Masq's arm. It's cold, of course.

"Wish I had a thermometer to check his core temp with. Then I could at least figure out when he died." I begin to talk to myself, pointing out little things that could be evidence of the killer. Besides the footprints that are already there, there's no other indication of another person having touched Masq, except for the gaping wound. The edges of the wound were jagged but it was thin, like he'd been stabbed. Probably something like a serrated knife. Like a huge steak knife. I look up at the ceiling and walls. No blood spray indicating another stab, so the killer only had to get Masq once. Even then, there was no doubt that the killer had some blood on him. There was no way you could stab someone with a weapon like that, and stab forcefully enough to go through the rib cage, and not get blood on yourself.

//Jeez Salocin, way to god mode. Don't do that again, okay?//

I glare at the clumsy fool who's disturbed my crime scene. I said things I wouldn't normally have said but there's no going back now.

I sigh and and do a short 'facepalm'. "Look, let's start over, alright? You're Salocin, a new member. My name is Cerani. Would you please back out of the pool of blood, even though it's not like everybody else's footprints aren't in it too."

I wave Akamu off, his concern is slightly annoying. I knew how to take care of myself.

"No, I don't know why." I answer Salocin. I grin in a sudden, odd moment of humor. "He always said that he was immortal. Sort of an inside joke." My grin disappears as I look back down at the body of my dead friend. "Guess he's really not."

I stand and sigh. "There's nothing more I can learn here. I don't have the equipment I need, but perhaps there are other clues at the other scenes. I'm going to Shandreara's room. Would you like to join me, or is one dead body enough for you?"

I nod. "Right then." I turn on my heel and head for where I think Shandreara sleeps, looking back to make sure Salocin is following, which he most likely is. When I reach her door, somehow, the scene is much more bloody than Masq's. I feel like puking once more but once more I hold it back. The smell is almost overwhelming, there's so much blood in the air. The metal tang is very strong.

I look down at the floor. It seems not as many people have been here or stepped inside. One of the sets of tracks may be the killers I realize. I take in the entire room now. There's so much blood, it's everywhere. If the killer caused this, he or she would be literally dripping with blood. It would be unmistakable, and there would most definitely be a trail, either from the weapon or from the killer.

I step fully into the room and approach Shandreara's body, skirting a small pool of blood that must've trickled down her arm that's hanging over the bedside. I gag and look away. Half of her torso seems to be gone it's been slashed so many times. I make myself look back down again. Her eyes are wide open in an expression of shock and fear. I reach down and close them, then reach for her arm. She's as cold as Masq is. She may have died around the same time as Masq.

"Two victims in one night?" I study the . . . wound. There is a cut on her chest. The edges are smooth, so a straight-edge weapon. "So, two different weapons. The cut, or slash, seems too . . . big for a knife, so a sword. I know a few around here who have swords." I pause. "Not a good sign. Is there really one among us that has the capacity to kill, let alone kill friends or our family here?"

"Oh really? I say we set bait. And there's no way to tell what kind of sword was used, you're guessing, or just trying to cover your ass." I shake my head, the dog was becoming more annoying the more I talked to him, but at least I had someone to direct my anger at for the moment. He may not like that I chose him for the job, but he was the first to appear somewhat annoying to me yesterday.

//Hehe, by the way Akamu, katanas are short, not large.//

"Sorry, Salocin. Yes, it would appear that a sword was used. I only know a couple that have swords. Akamu and someone else. Any of the others I don't know for sure."

//Well, the point still remains, I don't have the means to determine what kind of sword was used at my disposal, unless there is a chemistry lab somewhere on the grounds.//

I scowl menacingly at Aura. "You've no idea what I would do to that person once we caught him, or her." I feel like I'm practically baring my teeth now. "Insanity wouldn't even begin to help you with me around."

"There's a lot of blood. I'm not going to do anything more with this, so please take care of Shandreara and Masq. I'll be going now to see Ghidora's body. I passed it in the hallway before . . . "

I shake my head once more and pick my way out of the room, stepping around the small pool of blood. The most recent crime scene will be more important. There should be a little more development in the killer's style. After I wander the halls long enough to reach the Room of Generality, I see I am correct. The killer has written a message on the wall that I didn't see before, when I passed it.