[ferretchucker]

Opening credits roll. Fade back to the room with the deathly message written on the wall. Murderdoll's eyes are wide open, staring at the body. Zack lifts up a hand to put on her shoulder in comfort but the sight becomes too much for him and he spins around, running to a plant pot and puking in it.

Bwind: Good heavens...who could have done this?

Sistinas: I...I...

He can't bring himself to finish the sentence. Amicus takes a step forward, towards the body but Roshiq quickly grabs him by the arm.

Roshiq: No! Nobody is to go near that thing.

Amicus: What? I'm not frightened, I read plenty of horror novels!

Roshiq: Don't be a fool! Every step you take forward, the harder it is to find clues as to who did this!

Amicus: Excuse me. Who put you in charge? If anybody should take charge surely it would be the captain!

Bwind: What? Me? Why, I'm flattered-

V: Sirs! Please. This is not the time! How can you bicker over such a trivial matter when before you is the impaled body of a man with whom we conversed mere hours ago?

Amicus opens his mouth to speak but is quickly shot down with a deathly glance from Massacre Man.

Zack: How long has he...

He bends his head over the plant pot and continues his vomiting. F13F suddenly spins around, cautiously.

Massacre Man: What?!

F13F: The killer...they could be anywhere!

Massacre Man: Oh God...you're right. What if they're in this room?

Murderdoll: The blood...it looks...

Phantom Stranger: Fresh...

V ignores them. Instead, he walks over to MissMacabre, who is still weeping against the wall. He bends down.

V: Miss...miss...Macabre, was it? Miss.

She looks up, slowly. The tears stream down her face.

V: I need you to tell me exactly what happened, miss.

She looks at him, blankly.

V: Miss Macabre. I can help, I do this sort of thing for a living. Please, just tell me what happened...why were you down here?

Newb: Can't you see she's shaken up?

Roshiq: Shh! Let him work!

V: Go on, Miss..

MissM: ...I was walking past...there...a wince...no...no, grimace. The handle was so...cold.

Bwind: Good lord, girl! Speak some sense!

Amicus: Well said!

Roshiq: 'Tis Not the time!

Bwind: Well excuse me if I find it awfully suspicious that...Oh lord.

Roshiq: What is it now, man?

Bwind: My daughter! Where's my daughter?

As if on cue, footsteps sound out of the darkness of the hallway behind them.

Bwind: Chrono? Oh, Chrono, please tell me that it is you haunting that darkness!

No response.

Roshiq: Everybody...be on guard.

Worried looks spread through the crowd. The footsteps draw closer.

Bwind: Chrono, if that's you-

Chrono: Of course it is me, father. Must you shout?

The Return: Hear...what's this? We heard a noise from outside-

He is cut off by a faint whimper from Chrono before she falls backwards. Newb rushes to catch her, but The Return is closer at hand and warns off the old man with a glare.

The Return: Dear me...what on earth has happened here?

Before anybody can answer, Zack vomits once more, this time missing the plant pot, sending beige, lumpy liquid across the floor. The people recoil in horror.

V: Perhaps we should move to another room...?

Ending credits roll.