The Carter Hollow Murders

No Escape - Task Three

A tremor of fear slithers down my spine and I step away from the body slowly, feeling a terrible weakness taking over my legs. Using the wall for support, I inch my way toward the door and burst out into the busy gym, falling to my knees and breathing out hard.

Oh my gosh. Marilyn was... dead.

A warm hand touches my shoulder and I jerk, glancing upward into cold, unforgiving gray eyes.

"Alright Arabella?" Arthur asks, tilting his head quizzically to the side. A sadistic smirk hiding just below his emotionless mask. I shiver, ripping my arm free of his grasp and stumbling to my feet.

"Fine." I snap, clenching my fists to hide the way they quiver uncontrollably.

"Be more careful, Ari." He calls after me, his voice ricocheting ominously off the walls of the busy gym as if it were the only sound for miles. I catch a tiny glimpse of Adam's form in the distance and throw secrecy to the wind. With a terrible sense of fear pushing me forward, I shove my way through the students and latch onto Adam's arm.

"The Painter, it's him." I whisper before he can say anything, Adam tenses and turns to face me slowly.

"What?"

"I was right the first time, one of the killers, it's Arthur." Adam scowls and shakes his head, instantly disregarding my words.

"Ari, you already accused him and you were wrong."

"But I'm not this time! I know it!" I shriek, a desperation coloring my tone. Adam opens his mouth as if to protest when the lights go out and a loud high pitched yelp penetrates the room. A single spotlight begins to circulate around the room as the heavy breathing a an anonymous person echoes over the microphone. The gym lights up in an assortment of terrified shrieks and students rush toward the doors, their feet pounding against the floor.

"Everyone out!" Adam shouts, pushing my hold off his arm and striding forward. I stay in place, rooted to my spot as I stare up at the announcement balcony, barely able to see the outline of a figure within the box.

Loud bangs echo from the doorway where a cluster of students and officers were hammering against the door in an attempt to break it down. The spotlight passes over Adam for a split second as he shoves his way to the front of the grouping, pulling a ring of keys from his pocket. Then the spotlight stops on me and stays there. I look down, covering my eyes from the shine as people dash around me. I take two steps forward, trying to escape the spotlight but the white glare only follows me, it's glow encircling me in it's deadly clutches.

"I know who you are Painter!" I scream, raising my fist toward the announcement balcony. A dark crackle rumbles over the microphone and the spotlight resumes it's melodic dance around the room. Suddenly, sunlight bursts into the gym as the front doors open and students surge forward. The spotlight flickers off and a series of stage lights begin flashing at random moments, blinding the few still in the gym.

I kick my shoes off, tapping my feet against the cold ground and lunge toward the stairs hidden behind the bleachers. Taking them two at a time, I reach the announcement balcony in record time and shove my way into the tiny box. But I'm too late, only an empty chair spinning slowly and a flickering yellow button greets me. I sigh, leaning my shoulder against the doorframe in defeat and push the yellow button. The gym lights come on with a crackling electrical whir and a single figure stands in the center of the room, clad in a long jacket and a hat to cover their face.

My heart lurches in my chest as a heavy blanket of silence surrounds us. The silver glimmer of a knife shines from their gloved hand as they tip their head up to expose a veiled face. At their feet sit my shoes, laid carelessly across the gym floor. A small piece of paper floats to the ground, resting beside one of the black heels and the figure moves, their fluid form slipping out the opened door.

I press my palm to my cheek, wiping the tears I hadn't known had fallen away and dart out of the box. Grasping the railing, I hurry down the stairs but my tights get caught in one of the steps, ripping a hole in the fabric and sending me tumbling down the remaining steps to land in a heap on the floor. I groan, shifting carefully on the cold ground as I gently pull myself into a seated position. Blood streams down a wound on my arm and a dazzling constellation of stars glow before my eyes.

"Arabella!" Adam yelps, his feet beating against the floor as he reenters the gym. I shake my head, pulling my feet under me as his hand comes around my arm. I flail, caught off guard by his touch and stumble away.

"Don't!" Adam holds his hand up in surrender and watches me with a guarded gaze.

"What happened to you?" I clench my jaw and press my palm to my forehead, forcing my way past him to the abandoned note on the floor.

You're next Ari.

The note reads, sending a sharp dart of terror down my spine. I clench my hand around the note, crumpling up the words and attempting to ignore the fearful tremors that scuttle under my skin. Adam comes up beside me silently, watching as I tear the note to shreds.

"What was that?" Adam asks, I shake my head and meet his gaze.

"I'm shutting Carter Hollow down." Adam slumps forward and hangs his head.

"I figured, except there's one problem." A shiver of anxiety travels over my flesh.

"What?"

"We can't leave, the gates have been chained closed. We're trapped." He admits, I bend down and grab my shoes, dropping the remains of the note on the gym floor.

"Then we need to find Arthur fast." Adam frowns.

"Why?" I lift my gaze to his and set my jaw.

"Because Adam, Arthur Knightgale is the Painter."

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8Umbra, Arthur Knightgale, is the Painter! Only one murderer remains!

Now, for this task, you'll be writing about whatever you want. By now, everyone has heard of Arabella's accusation and Arthur Knightgale cannot be found at all. Both murderers are still running around, but one is rumored to be Arthur Knightgale. You're stuck on campus with absolutely no way out. You can be in whatever building you'd like doing whatever you want. Basically, Adam and Arabella have lost control of Carter Hollow at this point.

Just have fun with it. Be creative and detailed. Collaborate if you want. You have seven days to make this good and detailed. It's due July 23rd. And I will post them as I get them. If you give me nothing, I will kill you.

"Trace" will kill two people after this task.

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8Umbra, for this task you are writing your exposure scene. Arthur must be caught in the act of attempting to kill Arabella. And if you want, you can write a death scene like Macbeth. Or not. Either way...KEEP IT CLEAN!