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[ruemanorlibrary]

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[ruemanorlibrary]

Still Alive Yet Barely Breathing

Title of Fic: Still Alive Yet Barely Breathing

Tumblr URL: letthemelodymoveyou.tumblr.com

Summary of Fic: Melina survives Cris' attack. She stays alive throughout the entire "riddle race" and is there until the end.

Shipping: none

Genre: Drama

NSFW: No

As the smoke billowed around her, Melina could think of one thing and one thing only. "Run." She knew that this could be the last chance to save herself, and all she needed to do was be the first to find Giles. As she was backing away, she felt a hand clamp on her mouth and an arm wrap around her neck. She was dragged backwards until she was let go in a pitch black room. 

When the lights turned on, she frantically scoured the room until her brown eyes fell on Cris. She was standing in the corner, her hand still on the light switch. 

"Before you say anything, or scream, or anything like that, I need you to hear me out," Cris said quietly. "I don't trust Kam or Lindsey, but I do trust you. I want to make sure you're safe. I found this room earlier this week and thought it would be a good place to get away for a moment."

Melina was still just standing where she was placed completely in shock, until she broke down in tears. 

"I thought I was going to be killed Cris, Jesus! How the hell did you think it was a good idea to do that?!" Melina exclaimed.

"I'm sorry hun, but it's kinda hard to find time to think about things in this game. I shouldn't have done that, and I'm sorry."

Melina was still just standing there shaking as tears ran down her cheeks. 

"Aw sweetie, come here," Cris chimed as she rushed over to Melina's side. She wrapped her arms around Melina's neck in an effort to comfort her. 

"Thank you Cris," Melina whispered. "It's nice to know that someone is on my side."

As they pull away, they smile at one another. Melina was just relieved to have found a friend in this game. She felt bad for ever thinking that Cris was the killer. Cris was still looking at Melina and smiling, but her demeanor had completely changed. In a way, her gaze was almost chilling.

In an instant Cris had Melina turned around and had wrapped something around her neck. Melina looked down and saw the kukui nut lei meant for Geno's murder collapsing around her neck. She struggled as best as she could, but Cris had too good of a grip. Things were getting fuzzy, and Melina could tell that she was about lose consciousness. She had been duped by someone she had considered a friend. It got to the point where Melina knew there was no chance of her making it out of this alive. 

She felt like this was the cruelest murder that Cris had committed. Not only was Cris taking away Melina's life, but she had also taken away that feeling of safety that Cris had provided to her just seconds earlier. As everything went black she was thinking of one thing only, that she was going to do anything and everything she could to make Cris pay.

Eventually Melina felt her body go completely weak, and the blackness consumed her.

* * *

Melina could see light seeping in between her eyelids. "Am I dead now?" Melina thought to herself. Even the mundane act of opening her eyelids took almost every ounce of strength that Melina had left. As the full light filled her vision, she realized that she was still lying on the floor of the room Cris had brought her to. She sat up and tried to say something, but felt an excruciating pain in her neck and chest. It hurt too badly to speak at all. She placed her hands on her neck and felt the kukui nuts and something wet. When she looked down at her hands, she saw blood. 

If she was dead, how could she still be in this much pain? She was raised thinking that once she died, paradise would be waiting for her. If this is paradise, then she was going to be eternally pissed. Then, she heard shuffling and a faint voice coming from the door. Melina realized that Kam, Cris and Lindsey were still playing the game and that she was still in fact alive. Melina stood up, and almost fell down. She was so dizzy from lack of oxygen, and she didn't know if she could make it to the door without collapsing. But Melina had to find a way to make sure all of Cris's killings were stopped.

As Melina got her bearings, she thought over what must've happened while she was passed out. Clearly there had not been an investigation of her "murder" because she did not wake up in the morgue. Cris must not have made sure she was dead in her haste to return to the group in order to evade suspicion. And the game must not have been over because she could hear people running around frantically outside of that room. 

Melina crawled to the window and hoisted herself up. She opened the window and fell out. As she was standing up, she saw Kam running toward the horse stables. "What the hell could he possibly be doing?" Melina croaked to herself. Melina began to tiptoe around the house to the backyard to try and decipher what the remaining contestants were doing. 

When she reached the back deck, she saw something that almost made her pass out again. The corpse of Ronnie was sitting on the edge of the hot tub, holding some sort of sign. Melina was so horrified by this that she couldn't bring herself to do any further inspection. She walked inside and found three weird looking tables with a large question mark and a screen above them.

After making sure that none of the contestants were still around, she walked up to one of the tables. The question mark was filled with different black puzzle pieces, and the screen read "Run to the attic to find the killer." The other two screens read "Dana and Sasha: Perception" and "Geno: Memory" Clearly the final challenge was to use all of the skills learned from this game in one shot. Melina was about to go up to the attic to help whoever face Cris when she heard some frantic footsteps coming from upstairs. Melina rushed and hid behind one of the curtains. 

Soon enough, Kam bounded down the stairs and put a final puzzle piece in place. On his screen is a long riddle that Melina could not make out at all. Kam grabbed a key in a glass box by his table and rushes off. Seconds later, Cris does the same exact thing. Then, just a little bit later Lindsey came, but she got a different riddle, and ran over to the room that Melina had just been "murdered" in. Without thinking, Melina raced toward the direction that Kam and Cris went. 

Melina was running faster than she ever had before. She had to catch up to them before Cris killed Kam. As she rounded the corner she saw Cris using her key to unlock a door that she had never noticed existed in Rue Manor. Melina approached the door and leaned her ear against it. Thankfully, she could hear everything. 

"There has to be another riddle here." said Cris. "Wait, you're the killer?"

"Not me!" exclaimed a breathless Kam.

"Wait," said Cris softly. 

All Melina could hear was heavy breathing and then a loud gasp. 

"I won't be played by your foolish game. The killer could be you," Cris said to Kam.

"The killer is you!" Kam interjected.

"Or me, just the same," Cris noted with a smile.

"It's definitely you," Kam said. "Are you kidding me?"

"Enough of the riddles, the ruckus, the rhymes. I committed those murders 11 straight times," Cris said. Melina could hear the smile in her voice. Being an actress herself, Melina wanted to put on a little show for everyone. 

"Make that 10." Melina exclaimed as she opened the door. She tried to keep her composure as she looked around the insanely creepy room. She almost lost it when she saw Lindsey with an arrow through her neck on one of the TV monitors. 

"Melina?!" both Cris and Kam shouted. Kam rushed over and scooped her up in his arms. "I am so happy you're alive!" Kam said.

"Melina? What? How-" Cris fumbled.

"I guess your little game didn't work out exactly how you planned, huh Cris?" Melina said. 

At that moment Giles walked in, carrying a large suitcase. When he saw Melina, he nearly dropped it. 

"Melina my dear, you are alive! I thought you were dead!" exclaimed Giles in his perky British accent. 

"We all did," said Cris. "Trust me." 

"Well, umm, I'm not exactly sure what to do at this point. I guess both of you have unmasked Whodunnit! Congratulations!" cheered Giles. 

"No," said Melina, shaking her head.

"Excuse me Melina?" Giles asked questioningly. 

"Kam is the winner. I was supposed to die. I was not the best sleuth in this game. I don't need any of the money or anything like that. Frankly, I'm just happy to have my life," Melina said with a slight smile. "I do want one thing however." 

"Yeah sure, anything!" Kam said. 

"May I do the honors?" Melina asked, pointing at the golden cuffs in Giles's hand. 

"Of course," said Kam. 

"Here you go," said Giles as he handed Melina the cuffs.

Melina grabbed them from Giles, took a deep breath, and calmly walked over to Cris.

"I underestimated you quite a bit there, Melina. You are a fighter, aren't ya?" Cris said with a hint of a smile playing across her lips. 

"Well, I guess that was your mistake." Melina chided as she walked Cris downstairs and out of Rue Manor for good.