Danganronpa: Anachronism - Trial of a Fallen Superstar, act 3 + execution
[TOM]: What--no, no, I… I didn’t… I didn’t do it…
[KATHLEEN]: Then prove it. Tell us why you can’t be the killer.
[TOM]: I… [sniffs] N--No… c’mon, no…
[KATHLEEN]: I swear to God, if you don’t tell me right now why you’re not the killer…
[KATHLEEN rolls up her sleeves. MARGARET grabs her arm, but doesn’t look up.]
[MARGARET]: Kat, please. Don’t.
[TOM]: [nervous laughter] M--Maggie, you believe me, right?
[No reply. MARGARET simply wraps her arms around herself and looks away.]
[TOM]: No… No. It wasn’t me, I promise, I didn’t do it…
[He turns to HENRY and grabs his sleeve. TOM blinks firmly in a desperate attempt to keep himself grounded.]
[TOM]: H--Henry. You were there. You checked on me! You did! I saw you!
[HENRY simply gives him a cold tilt of his head, not looking at him directly.]
[HENRY]: Did you?
[TOM]: Yes! Yes, I did!
[KENNY]: Tom, I don’t want to believe it’s you.
[TOM]: Then don’t! I’ve been nothing but kind to you!
[KENNY]: You have. That’s why I don’t want to believe this. [shakes head] But… I’m sorry.
[TOM]: Please… please don’t do this…
[KENNY]: If you don’t give me a solid, iron-clad alibi of why you couldn’t have been the killer, we’re gonna have to vote you.
[TOM]: Nadia. Nadia, don’t you believe me?
[NADIA]: … I’m sorry, Tom.
[RYAN]: Are we voting now?
[TOM]: Don’t! Don’t vote! It wasn’t me!
[DAISY]: Look, Tom, you’re not being especially convincing right now.
[TOM]: But you have to believe me! I didn’t do it!
[DAISY]: … I’m sorry.
[TOM]: Come on. Somebody. Fox? Charlotte? Evan?
[Neither of them reply. TOM slams his fists down on his podium, leaning forward.]
[TOM]: WHY DON’T ANY OF YOU BELIEVE ME?! I’M NOT THE KILLER!
[TOM collapses over the podium, head in his hands, sobbing. Nobody offers any kind of consolation. Nobody even moves from where they’re standing.]
[TOM]: P--Please… Don’t vote for me… not just because I don’t want to die, but because I don’t want you to die either…
[He crumbles again, dropping to his knees. KATHLEEN sighs.]
[KATHLEEN]: Okay. I’m going to make this easy for you. What was the time of death again?
[KENNY]: Midnight to five.
[KATHLEEN]: That’s… a while.
[KENNY]: Look, I don’t have any actual medical instruments right now. That was a pretty damn good estimate with what I had.
[NADIA]: But not good enough.
[KENNY]: Oh, what do you want now?
[NADIA]: Nothing at all. I’ve just figured out precisely what Gabriel’s time of death was.
[KENNY]: Fine. When was it?
[NADIA]: See, when I was in the medbay, about when I showed up, I noticed that the alarms had stopped going off. Of course, I took note of this, just in case it happened to be relevant. And I suppose it was.
[KENNY]: Stop building it up and tell me.
[NADIA]: Okay, okay. The alarms stopped at two in the morning.
[KENNY]: So midnight to five was a good estimate.
[MARGARET]: Hold--[indignant noises] Hold on! You knew the alarms stopped and didn’t think to tell us?!
[NADIA]: [shrugs] Figured it wouldn’t help to panic.
[DAISY]: We would’ve done a headcount! The alarms stopping is a pretty clear sign that somebody died!
[CHARLOTTE]: I can’t believe you didn’t say anything.
[NADIA]: Now--hold on! You’re angrier at me than the actual killer!
[JAIME]: Um… as crazy as it is, I don’t think Tom’s the killer.
[KENNY]: He’s refusing to give us an alibi.
[JAIME]: But doesn’t he space out under stress?
[KENNY]: We didn’t discover the body until--what, five hours after he died, if Nadia’s right?
[...]
[TOM]: Shit--wait. Repeat that.
[KENNY]: We discovered the body five hours after he died.
[TOM]: No, no. Not that. The part about the actual time it was.
[NADIA]: Two in the morning?
[TOM]: Shit. Shit. Shit! Oh, no, no, no, no… [shaky exhale]
[NADIA]: What’s happening? [crosses her arms] Don’t have an alibi, do you?
[TOM breaks down in tears.]
[KENNY]: Alright, everyone. Let’s make this quick. Alibis at two in the morning?
[One by one, he points at everyone in the room, pointedly skipping over TOM.]
[JAIME]: With you.
[ELLIE]: My room.
[FOX]: Ellie’s room.
[MAIA]: Ellie’s room.
[HENRY]: Staircase.
[NADIA]: With Margaret.
[MARGARET]: With Nadia.
[KATHLEEN]: Medbay.
[CHARLOTTE]: Uh--My room.
[EVAN]: Medbay.
[XAVIER]: Medbay.
[RYAN]: My room.
[DAISY]: Medbay.
[KENNY]: And I was with Jaime. Okay--so for our people who don’t have solid alibis, we have Ryan, we have Henry, and we have Tom.
[TOM]: You didn’t even let me say mine!
[KENNY]: Because you were just going to repeat what you say every time. Oh, I was in my room, I was in my room. You have nothing to show for that!
[TOM]: But I do!
[KENNY]: What is it, then?
[...]
[KENNY]: See? If you were really innocent, you wouldn’t keep going quiet every single time I asked you.
[RYAN]: How come Charlotte gets to say she was in her room but we can’t?!
[KENNY]: Because Charlotte’s been proven innocent. You haven’t.
[RYAN]: Well, I didn’t do it!
[KENNY]: Then prove it!
[RYAN]: No, seriously. I really was alone in my room! Tom and Henry are way more suspicious than I am!
[KENNY]: Just because someone else is more suspicious than you are doesn’t make you any less suspicious.
[RYAN]: Literally what am I doing that’s suspicious? Do you think I’m the kind of person to go blind-rage and stab somebody seventeen times?!
[...]
[MAIA]: … Well.
[RYAN]: You’re not helping right now, Maia.
[MAIA]: I don’t know if I want to. [looks at FOX] What the--Holy shit, Fox, what the Hell are you drawing now?!
[FOX]: Tom in about five minutes when we all vote.
[MAIA]: [horrified] That--stop drawing that!
[RYAN]: Well, I didn’t do it!
[MAIA]: And how the hell am I supposed to know if that’s true or not?! I’m not a genius like Kenny and Nadia are!
[MARGARET]: Now, Maia…
[MAIA]: Not the time, Maggie!
[...]
[TOM]: [mumbling] Two in the morning…
[HENRY]: Can we move on? We know it was two in the morning when he died. We know Ryan’s suspicious. But we also know that Tom probably did it. Why aren’t we voting yet?
[TOM]: Because I didn’t do it!
[JAIME]: Because Tom didn’t do it.
[KENNY]: We don’t know that.
[NADIA]: Unfortunately, we haven’t proven that you and Ryan are innocent yet.
[HENRY]: We are.
[KENNY]: Sorry but that won’t cut it.
[NADIA]: I’m afraid that means there’s still an off-chance that we’re not right and Tom isn’t the killer.
[HENRY]: And?
[NADIA]: Well, on the off-chance that we’re not right and we vote Tom despite him being innocent, we all die and Gabriel’s killer gets to walk free.
[TOM]: That’s what I’m trying to tell you guys!
[XAVIER]: Wait, Henry. I’ve got a question.
[HENRY]: Yeah?
[XAVIER]: You said you found the kettle still plugged in, right?
[...]
[HENRY]: You guys like bringing the kettle up an awful lot.
[XAVIER]: But you did, didn’t you?
[HENRY]: [sweating] I… don’t see why that’s relevant at all.
[XAVIER]: Holy shit, Henry! Did you or did you not find the kettle plugged in and left on!?
[HENRY]: Alright, fine! Yes, I did! Happy? Why do you care all of a sudden?!
[XAVIER]: Because this is how we clear Ryan’s name.
[KENNY]: Oh? Is it, now?
[XAVIER]: Yes, it is! If you just listen…
[KENNY]: If you’re so intent on clearing his name, why would you wait until now to do it?
[XAVIER]: I’ve just put it together. Ryan, what did you find in Ellie’s room?
[RYAN]: I… what?
[XAVIER]: Remember? Her curling iron?
[RYAN]: Oh! Yes. Ellie had left her curling iron plugged in. [crosses arms] I was going to have a talk with her about that.
[ELLIE]: Hey! I’m sorry! I had to run out of the room really quickly!
[RYAN]: Yes, yes, I--
[ELLIE]: You know, it wasn’t exactly the first thing on my mind! There was a dead body!
[RYAN]: Yes, I get it. [turns to XAVIER] I don’t see how this is especially relevant to clearing my name. [firmly, impatiently] Get on with it.
[MARGARET]: Patience.
[RYAN]: I’m sorry for not wanting to die, I guess.
[XAVIER]: Ryan, what did you do when you found Ellie’s straightening iron plugged in?
[RYAN]: I unplugged it.
[XAVIER]: Why’s that?
[RYAN]: I don’t see how this is relevant.
[HENRY]: … me neither.
[XAVIER]: I’m getting there. Ryan, why did you unplug Ellie’s straightening iron?
[RYAN]: It… was a fire hazard. I don’t see what’s happening.
[KENNY]: [eyes lighting up] No, no, I… I get it. I think I see what he’s doing.
[NADIA]: What is it?
[KENNY]: Shh--just wait.
[XAVIER]: Now, Margaret. You used to cook with Ryan in the mornings, right?
[MARGARET]: Yes, I did.
[XAVIER]: Maia, you were there too, right?
[MAIA]: Sure was.
[XAVIER]: Did you ever watch Ryan use some kind of… electric appliance, or something?
[MAIA]: A couple times.
[MARGARET]: I think so, yeah.
[XAVIER]: And what did he do when he was done with those?
[MAIA]: He unplugged them immediately and put them in the sink to be washed.
[NADIA]: … he’s cross-referencing.
[KENNY]: Sure is.
[XAVIER]: Now--Kat. You were there, two days ago, during that punishment game. Remember when Gabriel had to burn his hand on the hot plate?
[KATHLEEN]: [as if nauseous simply at the thought of it] How could I forget?
[XAVIER]: Yeah, yeah, it was awful and all. [rolls eyes] But do you remember what happened after?
[KATHLEEN]: Like it was yesterday.
[ELLIE]: I mean… it basically was.
[XAVIER]: Do tell.
[KATHLEEN]: Well, Ryan told him to move slowly, and he did. Then, he went up and… [realization] unplugged the hot plate.
[XAVIER snaps.]
[XAVIER]: Bingo. But, Henry, the kettle was left plugged in. Why would Ryan have left the kettle plugged in if he never leaves anything plugged in?
[...]
[XAVIER]: [smiles] That’s cute. Tell me.
[...]
[HENRY]: I--Um… that’s why I think it was Tom.
[XAVIER]: Do you?
[HENRY]: Yes. I do.
[TOM]: But--! [shaky whimper] But I didn’t…
[RYAN]: In all honesty, I’m not convinced it could have been Tom either.
[HENRY]: It was!
[XAVIER]: And that’s why it couldn’t have been Ryan.
[KENNY]: Alright. So now, it’s between… those two. It’s Tom or Henry.
[...]
[KENNY]: If either of you has any way to clear your name, tell me now. Or else we vote wrong, and we all die.
[HENRY]: [crosses arms, refusing to look at TOM] One of us dies either way.
[TOM]: H--Henry… You didn’t… You wouldn’t… [shaky sob]
[TOM wipes the tears away from his eyes, shaking. CHARLOTTE throws her hands up.]
[KENNY]: Tom, I won’t lie. I’m starting to lose my patience with you right now.
[TOM]: I know. I’m sorry. But--you just have to trust me. I don’t want this either.
[HENRY]: … Tom?
[KENNY]: Our lives are on the line, Tom. I can’t just trust you.
[TOM]: You have to.
[Suddenly, KENNY’s voice softens.]
[KENNY]: Listen, Tom. You keep saying you have a reason you’re innocent, but you’re also refusing to say it. Frankly, it’d be less incriminating at this point to just straight-up say you’re the killer. Can you at least tell me why you can’t say it?
[...]
[TOM]: Because you’ll hate me.
[Collective groans.]
[CHARLOTTE]: Okay--seriously, Tom?
[EVAN]: Oh, what the Hell is this about? Just tell us.
[KATHLEEN]: Holy shit, you’re worse than Charlotte.
[KENNY]: You’re acting like you didn’t also hide information from us until it was way too late.
[KATHLEEN]: [glaring at XAVIER] And who do we have to thank for that, huh?
[XAVIER]: Quit it.
[KATHLEEN]: You first.
[TOM]: I’m sorry. I can’t tell you. I--I can’t…
[KENNY]: [sighs] Tom, I can guarantee completely that whatever it is will make us hate you significantly less than if you killed someone.
[RYAN]: [suddenly in ‘teacher mode’] Aw, buddy. Why do you think we’ll hate you?
[TOM]: Because I know you guys.
[CHARLOTTE]: … I mean, not really.
[TOM]: Not like that! I mean, not not like that, but… you guys don’t get it. [TOM crosses his arms] I know I space out a lot, but I’m not stupid. I still pick up on what’s happening around me other than that.
[NADIA]: Get on with it.
[TOM]: I know how you guys act. I know what happens when…
[A sob wrenches its way from his throat.]
[TOM]: I--I can’t, I told… I promised…
[TOM presses his lips into a tight line and goes quiet, shrinking into himself.]
[KENNY]: No shit.
[NADIA]: He can’t seriously be doing this right now.
[HENRY]: Sounds like guilt to me.
[ELLIE]: Not to me.
[KENNY]: Really? Why?
[ELLIE]: Nadia, I’ve got a question.
[NADIA]: [sighs] What now?
[ELLIE]: Why are you, Tom, and Henry allowed to lie, but we aren’t?
[...]
[MAIA]: Fuck--what?!
[NADIA]: I’m not lying.
[KENNY]: Shit. You are.
[NADIA]: No, I’m not!
[ELLIE]: You are! Because you said Henry checked up on Tom after you left to the medbay!
[NADIA]: That’s what he told me.
[ELLIE]: But he wasn’t! Because he’s banned from the dorms!
[...]
[KENNY]: Holy shit.
[MAIA]: How did we not catch that!?
[NADIA]: … Henry…?
[...]
[HENRY]: [softly] H--hey. Tom.
[...]
[HENRY]: … Tom, please.
[HENRY gives TOM’s shoulder a gentle shake. Trembling, TOM swallows back his tears and clears his throat.]
[TOM]: … I’m so sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry…
[RYAN]: Tom, what are you sorry for?
[TOM]: I can’t tell you.
[RYAN]: Why?
[TOM]: I… I promised not to say anything… I promised…
[ELLIE]: Hey, Tom?
[TOM]: … yeah?
[ELLIE]: Are you keeping a secret?
[TOM]: I have to.
[ELLIE]: Is the secret making you feel bad?
[...]
[TOM]: … I guess?
[ELLIE]: [smiles] Well, Maia told me that you shouldn’t keep any secret if it makes you feel bad. ‘Cause that’s bad for you.
[TOM]: … Okay?
[ELLIE]: Soooo--you gotta tell us your secret!
[TOM]: Um…
[TOM glances around the room, seemingly frantic. He does not say anything.]
[TOM]: But…
[RYAN]: Ah--no. Come on, tell us.
[A realization seems to dawn on TOM. His eyes go wide. He draws in a deep breath. HENRY refuses to meet his eyes.]
[TOM]: Y--you said two in the morning, right, Nadia?
[NADIA]: Yes. Two in the morning.
[MAIA]: What’s wrong, Tom?
[TOM]: Oh, god. Oh god. [shaky breathing]
[He glances at HENRY in a panic.]
[TOM]: Y--you…
[HENRY]: What’s wrong, Tom?
[TOM]: I--
[He starts crying, but something has changed. TOM’s resolve has strengthened. He pulls his hand away from HENRY’s like he’s shocked him.]
[HENRY]: Tom, no.
[TOM]: I’m sorry, Henry. I’m sorry. I have to do this.
[HENRY]: … what are you doing?
[TOM]: I have to tell them. I can’t just let you do this.
[NADIA]: … oh shit.
[ELLIE]: This is…
[KENNY]: Unexpected, yeah.
[TOM]: I… [swallows] I was asleep. I fell asleep.
[TOM sighs.]
[TOM]: I know, it’s stupid. But I didn’t want to tell you because I saw how you guys were treating Kenny and Xavier whenever the alarm went off. It was--
[His voice catches.]
[TOM]: Henry didn’t wake me up. I woke up, and he was already in my room. I didn’t think anything of it. Didn’t remember… the punishment. He told me he’d cover for me.
[TOM starts to cry. He wipes the tears from his eyes.]
[TOM]: B--but… if Henry wasn’t supposed to be in the dorms, and he was, and the dog wasn’t hurting him, then…
[HENRY lets out a guilty laugh. A nervous smile spreads across his face.]
[HENRY]: Hold on, now…
[KATHLEEN]: Shit, holy shit… you did it…
[KENNY]: Holy shit.
[MARGARET]: I think I’m gonna puke.
[CHARLOTTE]: And you tried to pin it on Tom, too?
[CHARLOTTE shakes her head.]
[CHARLOTTE]: That’s… god, I can’t believe you’d do that! I… It’s…
[EVAN]: [sighs] That’s low, man.
[CHARLOTTE]: Seriously low.
[MAIA]: I can’t believe it.
[ELLIE]: Henry…
[FOX]: There’s no way.
[RYAN]: I knew it couldn’t have been Tom.
[JAIME]: H--how… how could you?
[KATHLEEN crosses her arms, hands clenched in fists of rage, fury burning in her eyes.]
[KATHLEEN]: Seriously. To do… that, and then pin it on your friend, it’s just… it just plain… [sighs] It…
[MARGARET]: Sucks.
[...]
[KATHLEEN]: Thanks, Maggie.
[HENRY starts shaking. He doesn’t look TOM in the eyes.]
[HENRY]: I… I don’t know…
[CHARLOTTE]: Shit, the--the instant coffee…
[KENNY]: It was to cover your tracks, wasn’t it?
[HENRY]: I…
[...]
[KENNY]: Of course.
[He sighs.]
[KENNY]: You know, Henry, you could still clear your name.
[HENRY lights up.]
[HENRY]: I could?!
[KENNY]: Yeah. It’s easy.
[HENRY]: Tell me.
[KENNY]: If you’re innocent, take your jacket off.
[...]
[HENRY]: I--I… [shaky breath]
[HENRY doesn’t meet KENNY’s eyes. He pulls his jacket tighter around himself. KENNY crosses his arms.]
[KENNY]: Well? What are you waiting for?
[...]
[TOM]: … Henry.
[...]
[TOM]: Henry, it’s over. I’m sorry.
[HENRY]: No. I’m sorry, Tom. I… I’m really, really sorry.
[HENRY lets out a heavy breath and, without saying anything else, eyes downcast, slips the jacket off from around his shoulders. Beneath it is a short-sleeved polo shirt…]
[NADIA]: Well. There is is.
[KENNY]: Holy shit.
[MAIA]: So… that’s it?
[And bandages. Bloodied, hastily tied bandages.]
[MARGARET]: Oh--Oh god…
[MARGARET collapses against KATHLEEN, who wraps a single arm around her.]
[KATHLEEN]: You’re evil. You know that, right?
[HENRY]: I… I… [sniffles]
[KATHLEEN]: Do you see what you’ve done? Do you have any idea what you’ve done to us?
[HENRY]: I…
[KATHLEEN’s blood boils. She grips MARGARET tighter, with both hands now. How could someone hurt her? Hurt GABRIEL?! How could HENRY do this?]
[HENRY]: I… um…
[He repeats it again. I, I, I. That’s all HENRY ever thinks about--himself.]
[KATHLEEN]: So? So? Why did you do it?
[HENRY is silent. He doesn’t make eye contact with her. He doesn’t look at anyone. KATHLEEN looks at everyone--MARGARET, sobbing against her. ELLIE, grasping the red fabric of MAIA’s apron. TOM, spaced out beside him. HENRY keeps giving him these sad little glances, but never meeting his eyes. KENNY and NADIA, eyes cold and unfeeling. JAIME, not quite holding KENNY’s hand but resting his softly against it, tentative but not overstepping. DAISY, leaning against RYAN for support. XAVIER, not making eye contact with either. FOX, staring daggers into the side of HENRY’s head. And then… GABRIEL’s trial portrait. Blank. Unfeeling. Face crossed out with two quick strokes, as if drawn with a paintbrush.]
[HENRY]: I… I’m sorry. I am.
[KATHLEEN]: Are you? I don’t think you are.
[HENRY]: I--
[KATHLEEN]: Oh, shut the fuck up. Look what you’ve done.
[She spreads out one of her arms, gestures at the distraught, furious faces of the group.]
[KATHLEEN]: Nobody wanted anyone to die, Henry. Nobody but you! Why would you do this?!
[HENRY]: I didn’t want this, either!
[KATHLEEN]: Oh, you didn’t?! You didn’t want this, huh!?
[HENRY]: I didn’t!
[KATHLEEN]: Well, you should’ve thought of that before you KILLED GABRIEL!
[HENRY flinches]
[KATHLEEN]: Oh, you don’t wanna face it? ‘Cause that’s what you did, you piece of shit!
[HENRY]: Kathleen, please…
[KATHLEEN]: You actually need to shut up. You don’t get it, do you?
[HENRY]: I…
[He didn’t. He didn’t get it. But that was okay. Because KATHLEEN did, and she was going to make him get it.]
[KATHLEEN]: You don’t get it. You actually don’t get it.
[HENRY]: I was… I was just studying…
[It’s like he doesn’t even hear what he’s saying.
[KATHLEEN]: Oh, you were [mockingly] just studying, huh? You were just studying, because for some fucking reason that’s your priority in a death game.
[She bursts into a bout of disconnected, incredulous laughter.]
[KATHLEEN]: I fucking hate you, you know that, right?!
[HENRY]: I…
[KATHLEEN]: We all do. We all hate you, Henry.
[HENRY]: No… N-no…
[HENRY looks up at TOM.]
[HENRY]: You don’t hate me, right?
[TOM does not reply.]
[HENRY]: Oh, god… You do, don’t you?
[TOM does not reply. But he’s not spaced out, is he? He’s just… not talking. He’s not even looking HENRY in the eyes.]
[HENRY]: But… okay. Fine. Whatever, then. You hate me.
[He shuffles away.]
[HENRY]: It’s not… It’s not like I care.
[He’s lying. It’s not even a good lie this time. KATHLEEN shrugs.]
[KATHLEEN]: So, yeah. You’re the killer. Do I even need to say it? We’re all ready to vote.
[KENNY]: [nods] Tell us how it happened, Kat.
[KATHLEEN nods back at him, curt and succinct and so, so angry. Her voice is full of an unfamiliar venom when she speaks. It’s only one word, one simple word, and yet there is more hatred behind it than her classmates have heard from her in the entire time they’ve been here. From anyone, maybe, for some.]
[KATHLEEN]: Gladly.
[HENRY starts crying.]
[HENRY]: I--I didn’t… I didn’t mean to… didn’t want to…
[KATHLEEN ignores his tears and clears her throat.]
[KATHLEEN]: So. Sometime around two in the morning, the killer was studying in the storage room because… [more laughter] I don’t fucking know! Then, Gabriel walks in. I don’t know what he said. I don’t know why anybody would ever want to hurt Gabriel! He’s never done anything to you! He just wants to help, you know? But, something goes horribly, horribly wrong. Maybe he brings up something especially sore. Maybe he finds out about the storage room items you’ve been stolen. Either way…
[She shrugs and scoffs.]
[KATHLEEN]: Does it even matter what happened? Gabriel wanted to help, and his killer didn’t want that help. In fact, they wanted that help so little that… [a shaky breath] They took the scissors they were using, and just… went to town on him. But Gabriel’s not weak, and he fought back, scratching his killer’s arms.
[A sigh]
[KATHLEEN]: But seventeen stabs to the chest would do anyone in. And Gabriel died there--tired and starving, on a cold, unfamiliar storage room floor.
[She crosses her arms]
[KATHLEEN]: The killer didn’t know what to do after that. Because how else would you explain how erratically the rest of the plan was put together? This was the work of someone who was, frankly, panicking. Panicking on how to cover his tracks. Panicking on how he was going to escape. It was a hastily cobbled-together plan, one that, given how smart the culprit was, has you wondering what happened. And yet--he somehow found the perfect scapegoat.
[For a moment, KATHLEEN glances at TOM with sympathetic eyes. Then, she catches sight of the tears on his face, the shake in his hands, the red of his eyes--and she looks away. She can’t watch. To her, watching TOM break down like this? It’s like watching a stranger die. At a certain point, you just have to stop.]
[KATHLEEN]: First of all, the killer decided to hide the evidence. He dumped instant coffee powder on their jacket to dirty it--why, I’m not sure--wrapped the scissors in it, and stuffed it in a washing machine. Then, he washed the blood from his hands and face in the laundry room sink. However, he decided it was too obvious. He took the jacket out, incinerated the clothes, and broke down the barrier before throwing the scissors into the pool. Then, he snuck into the medbay while it was full and people weren’t watching the door. [she sighs] Me included.
[KENNY]: Hey, don’t beat yourself up.
[She ignores him.]
[KATHLEEN]: In the medbay, he stayed just long enough to steal bandages, antiseptic, and pain pills from the medicine cabinet. Then, he left. He knew he could go into the dorms, but with his bleeding arms, he’d give himself away. Too obvious. Too clear. So, he went to the one dorm he knew he’d always be welcome. Tom’s. [a sigh] And, what good luck he had. Tom had fallen asleep. So, he cleaned and bandaged his arms, ran back to his room to get a new jacket, and showed back up under the guise of checking on him.
[HENRY]: [through tears] I’m sorry, Tom, I’m sorry.
[KATHLEEN]: Tom, fully convinced that the group would hate him for falling asleep and triggering another punishment, begged the killer not to tell anyone it was him. And that was just perfect for him, wasn’t it? It gave him a solid alibi--and someone to pin the kill on. He went back to his room--at least, that’s probably what he said. In fact, what he did was go to the kitchen, knowing he could eat something. But he left the kettle plugged in--a clear sign of who it could have been.
[She shrugs]
[KATHLEEN]: You were always so forgetful, Henry. But I think you remember that’s how it happened.
[...]
[HENRY]: I…
[...]
[HENRY]: I couldn’t have said it better myself.
[...]
[KENNY]: Are we ready to vote?
[RYAN]: We are, yeah.
[NADIA]: Monodoodle, we’re good to vote.
[MONODOODLE]: Very well. Choose carefully.
[...]
[TOM]: I… I can’t believe… fuck!
[NADIA]: It’s okay, Tom. It’ll be okay.
[The votes go through. They are tallied.]
[MONODOODLE]: The group has voted for Henry Batista, the Ultimate student, as the killer. That is correct.
[HENRY]: I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…
[NADIA]: I don’t want your apologies.
[HENRY goes quiet.]
[MONODOODLE]: So--let's give it everything we've got!
[HENRY begins crying. KATHLEEN wonders if it's finally sinking into that obsidian-thick skull of his just what he's done. MARGARET sobs harder against her. TOM is fully spaced out now. He can't even look at him.]
[MONODOODLE]: It's punishment time!
--
- [Bonus Marks] -
- [Execution chamber, 10:05] -
--
- [TW: Graphic description of a violent death] -
[SESSION 1 - LOG 001]
Session 1, log 1. This is staff member 001, Dr. William Sinclair, reporting. I will say, this first trial went very well, by the standards of first trials. In my mind I expected it to be a little less…
Interesting? Tragic? Intentional?
Something like that.
And that was certainly something. Unfortunately, Dr. Liu did win the betting pool, so I’ll be hearing about that for the next week or so. Her prediction was correct--student twelve was the first to break, stabbing student six to death in a fit of rage likely provoked by stress, starvation, and sleep deprivation. [sigh] So, since I put my bets on student two, I’ve just lost 50 bucks.
Anyways--student twelve was correctly found as the killer and executed. His execution, entitled Bonus Marks, goes as follows.
Student twelve is strapped down to a chair and forced to answer a set of verbal questions. He was told that, if he answered all the questions correctly, he would be set free. However, if he answered a question incorrectly, a metal blade would extend from the chair and sever one of his limbs. This was worsened by the fact that he was given increasingly short amounts of time to answer the questions, which increased in difficulty as he went along.
He actually did quite well. But I digress.
They say a good social life is sometimes more important in school than actual scores. To reflect this, the questions shifted in matter from general academic knowledge to information about his fellow students. This is when student twelve truly began struggling, as he did not know much about the others beyond a surface level and was very distant from them. His fingers were removed first, then his feet and hands, then his lower legs and arms. Finally, when student twelve answered the final question incorrectly, the blade extended from the back of the chair and severed his head. Student twelve died at roughly 10:00 AM, on Sunday, September 13, 2025.
Surprisingly, we were able to make it through this execution with no interference from the students.
I think they were simply too shocked to do much.
CHAPTER 1: END
14 STUDENTS REMAIN…