I once naively though that Casey dying was the last of my losses but as a cruel twist of fate, Zeds dead corpse laid there infront of our wide eyes. Jugheads wails of distress conquered my ears and I couldn't help but feel pity for the young chap. I, on the other hand, had my own eternal dillemas to conquer. This killer, this monster knew of Zoe and what I'd done before my arrival in Woodsboro. I didn't even realise that I was retreating backwards when I felt a pressure on my back and a pair of arms hold onto my petite figure. I came back into reality when I looked up and saw the face of the person who'd previously been in the living room with Louis. He was holding to me so tightly, as if I was going to drink red bull and grow wings if I let go.
I was taken out of my daze when I heard another loud cry from the area of Zeds mutilated body. Louis had discovered it. Oh no, this was bad. I felt the warm arms that once enveloped my figure move away and saw them now hugging onto Lin's now distraught figure who was sobbing on the floor. I felt a pang of jealousy at the sight, but i knew it wasn't the time and I went back to panicking.
I didn't know what to do. Should I call the police? But what if they pry for answers regarding the gruesome message splattered on the white tiles? I fall backwards, not able to process the scene unfolding before my eyes, my gaze jumps from figure to figure, and slowly yet surely they all blend into the sequence. "Tate, go get the police-" Lin begins, but they are cut short as the power is cut out, leaving us all enveloped in a curtain of darkness. Everybody descends into silence, it would almost be peaceful if a murder hadn't just taken place. The air starts to feel tight and dastardly cold, almost bone-chilling. I screw my eyes shut and try to blend into the darkness, hoping that whoever killed Zed wasn't lingering in it waiting to perpetuate my untimely death. The lights flicker back on, and a trail of blood leads towards a wall to the right of our group, which once displayed family portrait. The canvas lays on the ground, Zed's face scratched out. But this isn't the worst. "look!" Tate points to the wall, and there written in blood is a quote,
"tomorrow, tomorrow and tomorrow creeps in at this petty pace from day to day, to the last syllable of recorded time; And all our yesterdays have lighted fools, the way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing. " (sadly i know this off by heart im doing macbeth for nat5 english - Mari).
There was a silence before i heard the youngest teenager utter, "what the fuck does this mean?". They wore a dumbfounded expression on their face and shrugged their arms."I think I get it", Jughead speaks quietly, as if the air was fragile and thin.
"This monologue takes place in act5 i believe, and at this point in the play Macbeth has succumb fully to his unhealthy greed. Here he comes to the full realisation that his ambition has gotten him nowhere, it's killed off everybody including his friend: Banquo, his kinsman: Duncan and his beloved wife: Lady Macbeth. He realises that his life means nothing without Lady macbeth, even if he had to live the rest of his life with the guilt of his actions and the ramifications, if Lady Macbeth was there it would've been fine. Maybe the killer can relate to that".
"So the killer has a motive of regret. A desperation to have someone back in his life again", Tate uttered, with a knowing glance towards the words on the wall. "And this clearly has to do with this 'Zoe' individual?", Jughead muttered through tears. He then gestured to the group of young adults, "do any of you guys know a Zoe? Perhaps it can help with finding out who the killer is yearning for?"
I thought for a second. If I admitted I knew her, they'd undeniably look into it. They'd find out about the lies I told to the Murphy family, and how I ruined their lives and my own in the process. They'd never talk to me again and I'd be alone again. On the other hand, they could link me back to the crime scene and think of me as a suspect. They'd think I'm guilty and I'd end up lonely aswell again. But if I don't say anything, it'd take longer to figure out the murderer and more people could die.
I could feel the sweat clamming in my fisted palms, and my forehead soaking in the newly producing swear molecules dripping down my face. I must have been visibly distressed because I saw the blonde teenager side eye me, clearly sceptical of my knowledge and how little I know.
"Hey Evie Wevie, you seem a bit...i dont know? Caught up in some deep thoughts over there" Tate struts forward, hands on his hips like a primary school teacher ready to persecute you for speaking during her lesson, "care to share with the rest of the group?". I sigh, knowing there's no point in trying to hide what I know when the whole group is looking at me like I am the murderer. "Fine. i do know a Zoe". Jughead and Lin both perk up a little at the lead, "She's my ex girlfriend. We ended on really bad terms..." I pause to think about whether I should add the next part, "It was my fault we ended on said bad terms". Tate's hands stop residing on his hips, and flop back down beside him,
"So all we've got is this queer killer knows about Evan's tragic past" he rolls his eyes and slumps down next to Louis and Jughead. "Yeah, but we also know none of us are the killer you halfwit" Jughead says sourly. Tate glares at him, "and how do we know this??". Lin lets out a deflated chuckle, "we were all downstairs arguing when the killing took place". Tate mouths an 'oh' and awkwardly scratches the back of his neck. "Shouldn't we call the police?" I try break the silence, and Jughead nods, "yeah, yeah you guys go do that, I...I want sometime alone right now" He gets up , and Louis grabs his arm. "No Jug, you don't know if it's safe to be alone right now". Jughead shrugs Louis' hand off of his arm, and walks away.
The remaining three ya novel target audience members dispersed down the stairs, despite Evan and Louis' overgrown concern for Jughead. What if the killer is still around? What if Jughead knows who's behind it? What if he puts himself in danger? These questions swarmed my brain like twilight fans to bookstores when Breaking Dawn released in 2008. I sat down on the sofa next to the other high school senior (who had a notable lack of worry on his face and just looked bored), whilst Louis grabbed the phone to call the police. They slammed the phone down in a distressed rage, and we both turned to them; one of us concerned and the other just itching for something interesting to happen.
"The fucking phone cord was cut!", they screeched, placing their hands into their head and sobbing like they had many tears left to cry. Tater tot quickly ran over to the younger person, and enveloped them yet again into a warm embrace. He made eye contact with me, gesturing to the phone I had in my pocke, and I needed no words to know that I needed to call the police. I quickly grabbed my phone and pressed the power button with a glimmer of hope in my eyes, but that hope disappeared just as quick when the phone didn't turn on and instead flashed with the 0% battery symbol.
"Frickaldy fuckaldy frick, my phones dead!", I cried out."Well fucking charge it?!", Tate screeched from across the room, still holding tightly onto Lin's smaller figure. If Jughead were in the room with is right now, he would be red with rage. But he isn't, and I need to get the police here as soon as possible.
I scavenged around and found a charger, although it didn't seem to fit in my phone. I plugged it into the wall and tried to get it to fit into my iPhone SE. I didn't work eventually, but after forcing the plug into the hole it got in. I checked how long it'd have until it charged enough to call emergency services, and my faced morphed into an expression of horror. "NINE FUCKING HOURS?", I yelled, the distress clear in my voice. "WHAT", Lin cried out, their tear flow increasing as they fell into yet another sobbing fit. At this response tate send me a glare, and if looks could kill I'd be as dead as Zed right now.I paused for a moment and thought back to the broken phone cord. Wait... If the cord was cut when we were upstairs, then that means that.. that.. that the killer is still in the facility.
"Guys..." I gulp as if I just popped a chug jug, "if the cord was cut when we were upstairs, you know what that means right??". Tate looks over from Lin, a rather omnibus expression adorning his ugly features. "You dont think-" Tate is ripped short as a scream slices through the air, and we all lock eyes. "JUGHEAD" Lin screams, racing up the stairs with the speed of resident evil fans making mods to further sexualise the female cast when the re4 remake came out. "LIN WAIT!" Tate chases after them, and I stay behind, carefully placing my phone in trash can behind the tv, plugging it in praying that it charged even a tiny bit.
I run upstairs like a graceful gazelle, sprinting away from the watering hole. "TATE, LIN?" I call out, but I don't need their reply as I hear loud sobs coming from across the hall. Shit. I rush over, and I feel the sweat pouring off my head at this point. By the time all this was over, you'd probably have enough to make a whole maccies meal. I watch silently as LIN speaks, I can barely make out their words because of the sobbing, "Jughead no...please...wait we'll call an ambulance, please just wait". Tate sighs, and does that bored white middle aged women expression, and pats Lin on the shoulder. "Lin, I'm sorry but look at him, i don't think he'll survive". Lin throws his hand off of their shoulder in a fit of rage, almost as mad as "og" resident evil fans when you like one of the remakes or newer games instead of the fucking ass balls graphics from the first few. "TATE FUCK OFF FOR ONCE".