Chatterbox: Pudding's Place

Interactive Murder Mystery

Felicia drummed her fingers on the countertop with a decidedly impatient air. Her computer emitted a sudden whirring sound, and she scanned the screen eagerly before gritting her teeth, checking the time, and settling herself more comfortably on the tiny stool. Over three and a half hours of waiting, and her Inbox remained unavoidably empty-- empty of the one pivotal message that would mark the turning point in her life. Felicia was fully aware of the high possibility that the much desired message might never arrive--might never be composed-- and the thought did not much agree with her. On the contrary, she felt distinctly dizzy with impatience-- though perhaps the vertigo had more to do with the amount of time she had spent staring nonstop at the screen-- and she felt like breaking something. Instead she popped another handful of Skittles into her mouth and munched ferociously, squinting at the screen through her thick-horned, fuchsia spectacles. And then the object of her focus gave an abrupt twitch-- and a message popped up in the Inbox so long devoid of it. Felicia pounced. In eleven point two seconds precisely the message had been opened and scanned, and Felicia slumped as far backward as she could on her diminutive stool to process it. Any interested entity peering over her shoulder just then would have noticed that the message itself was rather bland and colorless-- a bit odd near the end, perhaps, yet nothing exciting or remarkable-- but if that interested entity had been aware of particular details in Felicia's past life, the impact of the message would have been drastically different.

Ms. Flembourghy,

Your application for a secretarial position at Alabaster Towers Inc. has been accepted. All papers and technicalities are in order and have been approved and processed. Due to circustances beyond our control, it is necessary for you to begin work outside the office. Your first task is as follows:
Click on the link here given. Open File 192837465. Copy the information contained therein. Send the informaton to the adresses you will find listed in File 079532518.

These directions must be fulfilled before July 10th, 2016. On July 11th of the same year, you will recieve by post a ticket for Flight 769 to Alabaster Towers. The flight leaves at 10am, July 12th. Further directions and information will be corresponded to you in due time and course.

Sincerely,

Desdemona E. Grahnt.

Felicia allowed herself only a few moments to savor her success. Her fingers flew over the keyboard and computer-mouse, and the information she was to send was revealed on the glowing screen.

Congratulations (Insert Recipient Name)!

You have been selected as a candidate for the newly-formed Hawksworth Young Author Award! Should you choose to accept, you will be granted an all-expense-paid trip to Alabaster Towers for an interview with that celebrated writer and publisher, Harold P. Hawksworth himself, following which Mr. Hawksworth will name the most likely candidate the Young Author of the Year. The lucky one to recieve this award will have his/her written works published by Alabaster Towers Inc. 

Should you choose to decline this chance-of-a-lifetime opportunity, disregard this message, which will not be reissued. Should you choose to accept, please send an e-mail with your consent to our correspondent Felicia Flembourghy at the link included. You will then recieve your plane-ticket by post at the earliest possible date.

Felicia smiled at the message--contest propeganda always amused her-- and opened File 079532518 as directed. She found the list of e-mail adresses, accompanied by the names of the potential recipients, as said and scrolled through them. She leaned over her keyboard and uttered each name aloud. Felicia often studied people's titles-- she liked to try and guess the personalities and the probable futures of people by their names. She found it easier than usual-- the names were very unique, and, seeing as they were all candidates for the Hawksworth Young Author Award, she could well imagine where their talents and paths would take them. Felicia was equally certain of her own future-- was brimming over with confidence. However, if that imaginary interested entity had yet been present, reading along with Felicia as she swept through the ranks of addressees, and if that entity had known not only Felicia's past, but her future also, and those futures she was so casually predicting-- well, that entity would have been certain of a dark and dangerous path. For each and every one of them. The path was waiting for them, within the very words of the congratulatory message Felicia had smiled over. It just had yet to be taken.

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This is my first Murder Mystery Resort, and so I hope everyone bears with me and my fumblings. This one is going to work a little differently, though. The Typical No-personality Resort-Assistant is going to be replaced by Felicia Flembourghy. She will be an active character in the story. And another important thing-- those who participate in this will be able to try and guess the murderer, who is chosen by me. They will have two guesses each. I will not say whether or not any guesses are correct-- but those who guess the truth will survive the story.

So-- is anyone coming? If so, please pack up your bags. I know this is a very, very difficult thing to ask-- but no AEs, please? I'll figure out how many people I can accomodate when I see whether or no anyone is willing to participate. Bye! :)