05.Night
After two days of increasing heat, you woke to the smell of burning flesh.
Some of you had a bit more trouble waking than others, but soon you had all risen from the beds and floor. With the trash’s incinerator roaring, it wasn’t hard to guess where the smell was coming from—but why exactly did it smell like that?
Was one of you missing? Were you sure?
With trepidation, you approached the cubical dumpster. Some students stayed back, one or two grabbed containers and ran for the sinks and shower in an attempt to put out the fire before the cycle finished. But it wasn’t enough, and you had to wait for the flames to die down. A choking heat swirled out from the area, the smell becoming no more pleasant.
The ladder carved into the west side was the only way to peer into the trash. Among ashes and bits of unburned trash lay the burned remains of a body, unrecognizable beneath the layers of peeling charred skin. Only from the remaining scraps of clothing and an eventual head count did you realize the body was Ai’s.
“Congratulations.”
Still choking on the heated air, it took you a minute to recognize Murasaki’s voice. You craned your neck to find her image once again displayed across the ceiling.
“As a murder has now occurred, I have adjusted the room’s temperature back to normal, though it may take some time to get there. In the meantime, I suggest you all begin your investigation. We will hold a sort of trial shortly to see if you are capable of discovering the killer—or, for the killer, if you are capable of keeping your role secret. Note that the button will be disabled until the trial is complete.”
She shifted, and with a final “good luck,” her image disappeared. Rather than showing the temperature, the idle screen displayed several lines beneath the current time.
9:10
VICTIM: AI AMAIKAWA TIME OF DEATH: 9:01 CAUSE OF DEATH: EXTREME HEAT EXPOSURE
(Please post opens on your character blogs with the tag #kropen so we can find them and add them to the Opens page. Investigation asks are to be sent to the Askbox. A link will be provided in the OOC chat for group investigation.)