As the guests were picked up in the middle of the night, Day 1 technically hasn’t started yet. Soon it will, though... *rubs hands together mischievously*

As my excessive use of adverbs will likely betray me, I am no longer replying to guesses unequivocally until further notice. Good day to you.

Day 1 (Intro) Part 3 (final)

——

The guests followed their enthusiastic host into a hall, up an elevator, down two more corridors, and finally through a tawny, polished wooden door marked with a star. A comfortable suite greeted them, complete with a richly furnished sitting room, a spotless kitchenette, and two smooth wooden desks. Blinding sunlight reflected off the sparkling snow, pouring in from the several windows in the room. Six wooden doors were arranged around the walls of the sitting room,  five almost invisible to the wall except for the mahogany number plaques that were mounted on them. The sixth itself was of dark mahogany and bore no plaque. Rose clapped her hands together again.

“Welcome to the Chatterbox Suite, so dubbed, and henceforth so until such is no longer in my power.” She smiled, and for a moment the young woman’s eyes gleamed with a childish ecstasy, as if she longed to be one of them. She unfolded a piece of paper from her pocket.

“Ahem. Here are your room arrangements:

Leafpool (and Cedric), Kitten, And Ella Starburst will be in Room One; Quill, Harper, Viola?, and Satin will be in Room Two; Agent Winter, Rogue Wildling, General Waffleson, and Soren Infinity will be in Room Three; Gracia, S. Clockwork, Leo, and Vyolette will be in Room Four; and finally, the Captchas, Ted, Agatha, Nihil, and Cake will occupy Room Five.” All of the Captchas and several of the CBers skipped off to their designated rooms. Leo raised his hand.

“Yes?”

“Where does that door go?” He pointed to the dark, unmarked door.

“That is the bathroom.” Rose replied placidly.

“Oh.” Leo said quickly, sounding slightly disappointed.

“If you’re looking for a suspiciously hidden closet, there’s one over there.” Rose gestured calmly to the faint outline of a door no one had notice before. The lingering guests looked from her to the closet incredulously. Rose laughed. “What’s a large old-fashioned lodge without a few secret passages and hiding places? What’s the fun in it if there aren’t any?” She chortled to herself and swept out of the room. The remaining CBers filtered in to their own rooms, deciding to themselves that they were beginning to like this Rose person. Only Satin and Rogue Wildling stayed behind to examine the hidden door.

The rooms were, for the most part, very similar. Each contained four twin-sized beds with red velvet coverlets and pillows, a miniature mahogany chest of drawers beside each, and several red velvet rugs and matching lamps. There was only a single closet per room.

“Do you mind if I take the closet?” Leafpool asked Ella Starburst and Kitten when they had started unpacking. They both shook their heads, eyeing Leafy’s enormous suitcase.

The Captchas’ room was slightly different than the other four. For one thing, there were no beds. Instead, two large square velvet cushions were arranged on the red-carpeted floor for Cake and Agatha, and two small velveted cots for Ted and Nihil. Above, and around the walls stretched a red velvet upholstered jungle gym-obstacle course, safety-ensured by a red-roped net beneath. Cake, Nihil, and Agatha climbed straight to the course while Ted napped.

Once all had somewhat unpacked, they began to wander to other rooms.

Vyolette and Ella Starburst were having a blast watching their Captchas climb on the course (“That is so neat!”); Gracia and General Waffleson were trying all the chairs and sofas in the sitting room (“They look so similar, but this one’s way more lumpy.”); Leo and Rogue Wildling were prising around the now not-so-secret door, trying to figure out how to open it (“I wonder if there’s some secret catch somewhere?”).

Quill, Harper, S. Clockwork, and Satin were browsing the kitchenette.

“There might be something in this mini fridge… but it’s locked.” said a dismayed S. Clockwork, surveying it. “What’s the point of that?”

“To keep uninvited persons out.” replied Satin, tapping a large, almost hidden keyhole on the side. She produced her key from her pocket and turned it in the lock. The fridge popped ajar with a click. S. Clockwork pushed it open eagerly, but there was nothing inside.

“Huh. That’s odd.”

“Funny thing,” Harper said as she and Quill came over, “all the cabinets are locked and empty too.” Satin crouched down and looked around in the fridge.

“I wonder…” She turned a odd small dial on the side and a bowl of white chocolate drizzled popcorn “popped” into existence on the top shelf. They all jumped back, alarmed. Satin grinned.

The bathroom was a pink-, red-, and white-tiled masterpiece. Five red toilet stalls faced five mosaic sinks, white concrete, inset with shards of pink and red glass. Ornate mosaic mirrors were mounted above each one, and a pink glass chandelier hung from the ceiling. Viola?, Soren Infinity, Kitten, and Agent Winter put their toiletry pouches on some empty shelves by the sinks.

“All this for a bathroom?” Agent Winter commented incredulously.

“It may be excessive, but it sure is impressive.” Viola? quoted poetically, gazing at the chandelier. Suddenly classical music started playing very loudly through unseen speakers.

“Attention guests,” spoke the bubbly voice of Rose, “Brunch is served! Descend the hall elevators to the Ground Floor, and follow the signs to the brunch room. We have waffles!” There was a brief beep as the intercom turned off. The girls looked to each other and silently left the bathroom, following the others out of the suite. The day had begun.

—— End of Day 1 Intro ——

Let me know if you think the first murder should be on Day 1 or Day 2... I’m still deciding.