Chapter 2: Murder and Accusation.

Ren (just about to respond with something sarcastic, but stopping as the scream echoes through the halls):

"...What was that?"

William (standing up abruptly, his cold demeanor slipping into alertness):

"Did you hear that? It sounded like... someone screaming."

Ren (calm, as usual, but with a hint of curiosity in his voice):

"Yeah, I heard it. But I'm sure it's nothing. Maybe someone tripped and… well, got scared."

William (looking towards the door, his mind racing):

"This place is cursed, Ren. Nothing's 'just nothing' here. We need to check."

Ren (raising an eyebrow, his tone a mix of sarcasm and indifference):

"Check? You're the one who wants to stay locked up in your perfect little box of rules. Suddenly you want to play hero?"

William (clenching his fists, his frustration with Ren momentarily giving way to fear):

"Just because you're free to do whatever you want doesn't mean this place doesn't have consequences. You might be okay, but the rest of us aren't."

Ren (pauses, his expression softening slightly, sensing the genuine concern behind William's anger):

"Fine. I'll go. But I'm not playing along. You don't want to stick your neck out for someone else, do you?"

William (reluctantly, but with determination):

"Fine. But we stick together. No more games, Ren. This is real."

They both move toward the door, the tension still hanging between them, though now mixed with an undeniable unease about what's to come.

Ren (walking down the hallway, his tone still dripping with sarcasm, but the air around them feels heavier):

"This is gonna be a nice walk. Who knows, maybe we'll bump into a ghost or something. You should start keeping your eyes peeled, William."

William (trying to focus, but his eyes are darting around, clearly uneasy):

"Yeah, I'm sure it'll be a ghost." (Pauses, looking around, and suddenly stops in his tracks as something catches his eye) "Wait... this isn't right."

Ren (glancing back, still half-interested, half-amused):

"Are you losing it? First, you're the hero, now you're a detective?"

William (pointing toward a door that wasn't there before, his voice laced with confusion):

"When we came upstairs earlier... the stairs were in this direction. There was no door here. Why is there one now?"

Ren (looking at the door, shrugging nonchalantly):

"Maybe it just appears. This mansion's full of surprises, right? Never know what's gonna pop up."

As they continue, a few of their classmates start to emerge from their rooms, all heading toward the same destination, their faces etched with concern or fear. The air is thick with the feeling that something isn't right, and the tension between Ren and William deepens as they walk in silence, save for their occasional remarks.

William (whispering to himself as they pass another room, eyes narrowing):

"This place... it's changing around us. We're not in control here."

Ren (hearing William's murmur, still sarcastic):

"Control? I don't think any of us have control. You should be used to it by now. Maybe this mansion's the only thing that really is in control."

As they reach the door they're heading for, more students emerge from nearby rooms, some with anxious glances, others muttering amongst themselves. The hallway becomes crowded as they all converge on the door, drawn to the scream.

When they finally reach it, they find Marcy, visibly shaking, standing in front of a gruesome sight. Her eyes wide, her breath quickening, she looks like she's seen a nightmare.

Marcy (voice trembling, barely able to speak):

"Is... is that... Lyra?" (She steps back, her hands shaking as she points toward the body)

The body is Lyra Erso, one of their classmates. She's hanging sideways, nailed to the wall by her hands, her head hanging limply, with a knife lodged deep in her heart. Blood pools beneath her, staining the floor, and the scene is horrific—far more gruesome than anything anyone had imagined.

Ren (looking at the body with a raised eyebrow, tone dark, no sarcasm this time):

"Well, that's a new level of 'hospitality.'"

William (his voice almost a whisper, his mind racing):

"Why... why would they hang her like that? Who did this?"

Marcy (her voice breaking, tears welling in her eyes):

"I don't know... she said she was going to the washroom, but she was gone for a while so I decided to check up on her... on my way downstairs, I noticed there was a door instead of the stairs... but when I opened... I saw her hanging there."

The other students who followed behind begin to gather around the door, murmurs spreading quickly as the reality of the situation sinks in. The once tense but sarcastic atmosphere now shifts into something darker, something far more dangerous.

As the group stood frozen in the room, the weight of the scene crushed down on them, each person caught between fear and disbelief. The sound of hushed whispers filled the air, but none dared to approach the body just yet.

Ren (his voice sharp, breaking the silence): "Whoever did this wanted us to see it. A warning, maybe... or just a game."

William (still staring at Lyra's body, his voice trembling): "A game? This... this isn't a game. This is murder."

Ren's gaze shifted toward William, his eyes narrowing slightly. He was right, of course. But Ren couldn't help but feel a strange detachment. The mansion was a trap. Someone had set them up, and it was only a matter of time before they discovered just how deep the conspiracy went.

William (focusing more now, his usual arrogance replaced by uncertainty):

"Why hang her like this? It doesn't make sense. There's no reason for this... unless..." (His voice falters as he glances around the group).

"Unless they're trying to send a message."

Marcy (shuddering, trying to hold back her tears): "I... I don't understand. Lyra was so... so quiet. She didn't have enemies, not like this..."

Ren (his tone cold, calculating): "Maybe she wasn't supposed to have enemies. This isn't just random. Someone's orchestrating this."

As the group grew more uneasy, footsteps echoed down the hallway from behind them. Harrison Greenleaf appeared, looking even more out of place than usual, his eyes wide in horror when he saw the scene.

Harrison (gasping, his voice strained): "Lyra? No... not her."

The group turned toward him, silently urging him to speak.

Harrison (shaking his head, taking a step back): "Do you all see what this means? This isn't just some freak accident. We're trapped here, aren't we? This mansion... it's not letting us go. And it's playing with us."

Ren (glancing at Harrison, his lips curling into a slight smirk, though his eyes were full of suspicion): "You're starting to catch up, huh? But the question is... who's pulling the strings? Who wanted us here?"

The question hung in the air, unspoken, as each person turned to look at each other with a mixture of fear and suspicion. No one had an answer. And the mansion, with its shifting halls and secrets, loomed ominously around them.

Suddenly, there was a creak from down the hallway, as if the walls themselves were listening. The mansion wasn't done yet. It was only just beginning.

The tension in the air was thick, like the suffocating stillness before a storm. Everyone, standing in front of Lyra's body, the weight of her murder pressing down on them, their eyes flickering between each other, trying to figure out who could be responsible for such a grisly act. But it wasn't just the horror of the scene that was unsettling—it was the suspicion that had begun to brew between the classmates.

Ren (his voice calm, though a subtle edge of suspicion lingered):

"So, Harrison, where were you before you came here?"

Harrison (looking uncomfortable, but trying to remain calm):

"I was in the bathroom. I heard the scream and the noise, but by the time I came out, everyone was already gathered here."

Ren (raising an eyebrow, his voice still light, but a dangerous edge creeping into it):

"And you just happened to be in the bathroom at the right time, huh? Convenient, don't you think?"

Harrison (frowning, feeling the weight of the suspicion):

"What's that supposed to mean? You think I did it?"

Ren (shrugging nonchalantly, but his eyes sharp):

"I'm just saying, it's a bit too perfect, don't you think? Everyone has their own reasons for being where they were. But maybe you just happened to be in the right place, at the right time... or was it?"

William (stepping forward, his tone quick, eager to diffuse the tension):

"Ren, why do you keep going on about this? We're supposed to figure out who did this, not blame everyone who was near the scene. We need to focus."

Ren (smirking slightly, glancing over at William):

"I'm just covering all possibilities. Don't you think we should look into everyone's motives? Like, maybe… Sebastian."

Marcy (nervously shifting her gaze, wondering where Ren was going with this):

"Sebastian? Why him?"

Ren (gesturing toward Sebastian, his voice dripping with suggestion):

"Well, before we all got to the mansion, Lyra turned him down when he asked her out. Could be a motive for revenge."

Sebastian (his face flushed with irritation, stepping forward and shaking his head):

"That's ridiculous! Just because she rejected me doesn't mean I'd go and kill her. I might've have been enraged, but I'm not crazy to take a grudge that far."

Harrison (stepping in, defending Sebastian):

"Exactly. Just because someone gets rejected doesn't mean they're gonna snap. Why would anyone jump to such an extreme conclusion?"

The group fell into a brief silence, the tension mounting. Fingers were pointing, but no one could quite pin the blame on anyone just yet. The air grew heavier, and the accusations seemed to circle back on themselves, until…

Suddenly, from around the corner, Ethan Blackwood appeared, his presence cutting through the heavy silence. His expression was calm, collected, though the glint of concern in his eyes betrayed the seriousness of the situation.

Intro: (Name: Ethan Blackwood, Age: 17, Origin: son of world's best 'tycoon', Talent: Leadership)

Tycoon: a wealthy and powerful person who has significant influence, usually in a specific industry, like real estate, technology, media, or finance. Tycoons often control large businesses or investments and can shape markets or trends due to their resources and influence.

Ethan (glancing at the group, his voice smooth and reassuring as always):

"Alright, enough pointing fingers. We're not going to get anywhere like this."

Sebastian (narrowing his eyes, his voice tense):

"Hold on a sec... Why're you even blaming me? Wasn't she dating Ethan after rejecting me?"

Sebastian (still uneasy, trying to defend himself):

"I heard they even had a fight before we got to the island. So why are you blaming me now, huh?"

Ethan (his face hardening, voice low but controlled):

"That fight wasn't about her. It was about something else. And it doesn't give anyone the right to throw accusations around. No one here is beyond suspicion, but we have to stay focused. Let's not start tearing each other apart before we even have the facts."

Ren (crossing his arms, his tone skeptical):

"Yeah? Well, that's easy for you to say, Mr. Perfect. But why do you think we're all here in the first place? We're trapped in this place, and something's going on. I'm just trying to figure out what it is."

As Ethan continue trying to clear the growing tension between the group, Kaida suddenly shifts the conversation.

Kaida (frowning, voice filled with concern): "Wait a minute… where's the teacher? Shouldn't she be here right now?"

Intro: (Name: Kaida Katsuragi, Age: 16, Origin: Heiress to Japan's best master-craftsmen, Talent: Drawing)

Marcy (thinking for a moment before answering): "Actually... before everything happened to Lyra, I saw the teacher heading downstairs. She was... I think she was trying to get some fresh air or something. I'm not sure why she was down there, but it was before everything went down."

Ethan (nodding, trying to stay in control of the situation): "Well, then we need to get her involved. She should know what's going on."

Kaida (still uneasy): "Right, but... what about the maid? Didn't she greet us when we first arrived? She should know what's going on by now, don't you think? Shouldn't she have heard the commotion upstairs?"

Ethan (a bit defensive): "Maybe she hasn't heard anything. But yeah, you're right. We should probably check with her."

Kaida (determined): "Alright, I'll go find her and ask. She might know something we don't."

Just then, Harrison interjects, recalling something he had seen earlier.

Harrison (hesitant but speaking up): "Before we entered the mansion, the maid greeted us, right? But... just before that, I saw someone upstairs, through the window. I couldn't see clearly, but there was someone up there. Maybe you could ask her about it."

Kaida (nodding): "I'll ask her. Thanks."

---

Kaida heads downstairs to find Anna, the maid. As she walks toward the bottom of the stairs, she spots Anna standing there, looking a little out of place. Kaida's gaze sharpens as she walks up to her.

Kaida (noticing her odd position, confused): "Anna? What are you doing down here? Didn't you hear everything that's going on upstairs? Why didn't you come to help or explain anything? You've been here longer than we have. Maybe you know something about what's going on."

Anna (visibly uncomfortable, shaking her head): "I'm not allowed upstairs. Even if I wanted to come, I can't. I'm not authorized to go up there."

Kaida (narrowing her eyes, not satisfied with the answer): "That's not good enough. You need to come with me. I'm not taking 'no' for an answer."

Kaida grabs Anna's hand firmly, pulling her with her toward the scene of the incident. Anna is hesitant but follows.

---

When they reach the room where the body is found, Anna's face shifts from confusion to shock as she sees Lyra's body. There's a moment of silence, and then Kaida watches Anna's expression carefully. It's as if Anna was expecting something like this to happen.

Kaida, almost breathless, asks:

Kaida (her voice tight with disbelief): "Anna... what's going on? What happened here?"

Before Anna can answer, they all hear a voice echo from the shadows, a voice filled with an unsettling calmness.

Voice: (low, almost amused, smooth and calm): "Well, now that everyone is here... I think it's time to begin."