Madhouse

[Chapter 13]

There lay Haru's dead body. Maggie backed away, now realizing Hazel and Jaxon. "I-I swear I didn't do this!" She wailed.

"But you were the only one in here.." Jaxon remarked, crossing his arms, as Hazel glanced hesitantly between the two.

"No, no! I would never." She squeaked, shaking her head, her eyes pinching shut. "Hazel, please believe me!" Maggie begged, thrusting out a hand to her friend. "I-it's OK, I believe you.." Hazel eventually responded, nodding, as she hugged Maggie.

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Sienna sprinted out the room, panting. "No, no, no! I didn't mean to!" She sobbed, tears streaming down her face. Nolan blinked with surprise, spotting Sienna. 

"Hey, Sienna. What's wrong?" He gently cooed, placing a hand on her shoulder. Sienna gasped, leaping back, though her gaze lightened with relief when she realized it was only Nolan. 

"Shh, it's alright. It's just me." Nolan breathed, offering a reassuring smile.

"O-oh, hey." She nodded, sniffling, as she wiped away a tear.

"What happened?" He questioned, noticing her sadness. Sienna remained silent, glancing away with hesitation. Nolan sighed, backing away.

"Tell ya what. I'm looking for my sister, you can join me." He offered. 

"Y-yeah, sure." She blinked, nodding.

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Natsuki and Thatcher lay on the floor of the room, sighing. Natsuki silently got up, making her way towards a bookshelf where files were kept. She attempted to reach for one, but found herself too short. Thatcher let out a bellowing laugh at the sight. "Ah, you're just too short, hm?" 

She ignored him with a roll of her eyes, as she continued to leap up, only to fall fast-first into the bookshelf. With a moan, Natsuki staggered back, finding the bookshelf shoved to a side. Thatcher scrambled to her side, offering a hand, as he pulled her up. But as the two brushed themselves off, they realized during Natsuki's fall- she had managed to push the bookshelf with her face, causing the case to move.. where they found a wide hole in the wall.

"T-there's a hole in the wall." They both breathed, exchanging questionable looks.

Thatcher reared his arms against the shelf, pushing it fully to the side, where the hole was in full view. Hesitantly, Natsuki crawled into the hole, with Thatcher uneasily following close behind. 

A light shone in front of Natsuki's face bringing her hope. "I see a light." She called. And I see someone's ass.. Thatcher inwardly thought, avoiding to look in front of him.

The two soon made it to the end, where they found themselves in a room with.. Hazel, Maggie- wait, Haru?

Jaxon rose to his feet, tilting his head. "What're you two doing here."

They paused, unable to speak.

"Oh, so you're the killer." Jaxon stated flatly, folding his arms. "What? No.." Thatcher started, though Jaxon cut him off with a scoff. "Well, I find it very odd that you appear out of a door, next to Haru." Jaxon hissed.

"Oh, and you being RIGHT HERE next to him." Thatcher spat back, placing a hand on his hip. "And that's not suspicious?"

"I-" Jaxon begun, but Natsuki shoved herself between the two. "Okay, stop!" She cried, her eyes narrowed to slits. "Fighting is going to get us nowhere." 

Jaxon and Thatcher exchanged a hostile glance before shrugging. "Right."

"OK, so who was in here first?" Natsuki asked, analyzing everyone in the room.

"Maggie was." Jaxon instantly responded, slightly startling Maggie. "But it-it wasn't me!" She butted in, a lump forming tight in her throat. "I came in, locked the door. And then I smelled something weird by the bed.. and I pushed it aside and found Haru's body." Maggie explained, hoping her story would convince everybody.

"So you said the smell was here when you came in..?" Natsuki asked, placing a hand on her chin with thought. Maggie nodded in reply.

"Then maybe somebody already killed him before Maggie came in." Natsuki suggested. Hazel nodded, along with the others. "That makes since."

"Wait. It could be the hosts trying to convince that it's one of us." Hazel added. Thatcher murmured agreement. "That's what I was thinking."

"I say we confront them." Thatcher mumbled, crossing his arms. He was tired of being in this hellhole.

"We don't have enough proof though.." Jaxon remarked.

 "It's them, I know it is." Thatcher stated, smirking. 

Did the host kill Ricky and Haru?

Or was it one of them..?