sorry for spamming but this isn't toppingggg

ahhhh hooray I'm so glad to see another part! great as always:D

@Jay, thank you :)

@Silver Crystal, ty! I love writing descriptions, and I really appreciate your compliment :)

@Tsuki, thanks :D

@Echo, ty! :))

@Chaser, tysm! :D (I absolutely love your and Jay's topping names btw)

~~~

Day 5, Part 1

The rain started around midnight, at first a gentle drizzle that drummed against window panes and pattered on tree leaves, but grew to a roaring downpour by morning. The river became a violent torrent, fallen leaves and debris being tossed around in its wild rapids. The trees were completely at the mercy of the weather, bending in the driving rain, threatened to have their branches snatched up by the fierce wind. The trails winding through the Osorthe Forest ran muddy, and the guests awoke to cloudy gray skies and a leaky roof. 

The morning of their fifth day at Lockaria House was a slightly hectic one. Socie, Echo, Artemis, and Hex ran around Lockaria House, placing buckets to catch the water that was leaking in. Silver Crystal, Kyanite, Reuby, Writing, and Tsuki ransacked the closets and cupboards, looking for more buckets and any tools they could use to potentially patch up the leaky ceiling. They eventually resorted to using rain boots, pots and pans, and Writing’s empty pickle jar to catch the leaks. 

While all of this was happening, Sterling figured that the guests would have to eat, and Socie was too busy running around to make anything, so they recruited Ronin and Firelily to help them cook, which was, as one might guess, quite disastrous. The kitchen counter caught on fire twice and Ronin accidentally spilled a bowl of pancake batter all over the floor, and at that point they were all so upset they just gave up and poured everyone some off-brand cereal found in the depths of the pantry. 

Slowly, the guests and Socie started making their way down the stairs, having secured buckets beneath all the leaks. Socie planned on fixing the leaks more permanently later, but she’d deal with that once she’d eaten. “Bon appetit,” said Ronin flatly, handing Socie a bowl of what was likely extremely stale cereal. Socie was the last person in line, so once she was served, he poured himself a bowl of cereal and ate a spoonful. Yep, it was definitely stale. He took another bite. Whatever. It was disgusting, but bearable, and it was by far not the worst thing that had happened during his stay at Lockaria House. 

After breakfast, Artemis announced, “I’m going to check on the leak in my room,” and exited the dining hall. Slowly, the other guests began to disperse as well. The rain had begun to relent, but Socie still wasn’t about to let anyone outside yet. People went up to their rooms or to the game room or the library or the arts and craft room or found something else to occupy their time. 

Artemis, however, having lied about checking the leak in her room, couldn’t be bothered with playing board games or reading or making friendship bracelets whatever the other guests were doing. She wandered around Lockaria House, the golden antique key from the scavenger hunt gripped in her hand. The bow of the key was ornate, decorated with twisting, spiraling patterns, not unlike creeping vines or some sort of a celtic knot. It opened something, and Artemis’s instinct told her that that something was rather important. 

~~~

The mezzanine level balcony of the library was made of rich mahogany, accessible by a spiral staircase and furnished with rectangular carpets lining the narrow floors. Upon one wall was a large arched window with a little alcove containing a cushion and pillows. 

The murderer sat in this window nook, a book in their hands, although they weren’t reading. They gazed out of the window at the storm clouds, at the broken branches and leaves scattered across the lawn, at the raindrops streaking the glass, at everything and nothing at all. They closed their eyes and waited for the tears to come, but they didn’t. They never did. 

The murderer had a mission, and they had to see it through. They laid the book down on the cushion and rose, descending down the spiral staircase, one hand on the railing and the other at the knife concealed beneath the folds of their clothes. 

~~~

Alive: 11

Dead: 4 (pangolin, Oliver, Daisy, and Eclipse)