《Playing Games of Despair》Chapter 15: Tehari Panthers (1)
Advertisement
Everyone from the head hospitality steward to the busboy at the cafe knew all about the murder, with varying levels of detail and accuracy about the case. “I heard that she was only a child…” someone had said. Word in the casino levels was that she was a nobody, and had won a lucky draw to be on board The Challenger. “That’s why her murder isn’t being taken so seriously,” hushed tones whispered as the moneyed elite reassuringly told themselves. “Apparently she had been brutally dismembered and parts of her body were found in the meat locker in the main restaurant,” said another vicious, stomach-churning rumour was going around.
The most important piece of information was the room number: Room 474. Krystal and Ming wasted no time in hunting down the room.
The crime scene was not discreet at all. Strewn messily across the front door was police tape screaming the words “Do not cross”. Of course, that’s exactly what Krystal and Ming decided to flout. Pushing the door halfway ajar, they peeked inside.
The blood forensics expert in the detective crew was probably throwing up in the bathroom. Everything from the upholstery to the walls to the chandelier and curtains were covered in blood spatters. Bits of grey matter, skin and dark hair strands were scattered around the upturned dining table and broken chairs. A ripped pinkie finger, with its painted, pink nail still attached, displayed on the coffee table. The revolting stench of death emanated from the carpet. Whoever did this had not intended for the murder to be discreet.
Ming and Krystal were completely unfazed by the crime scene. In fact, Krystal’s eyes lit up.
“Where’s the body though? I don’t see it.”
“There’s way too much blood. Messy, messy…” Ming muttered under his breath. In addition to being a high maintenance 12-year-old, he also had a compulsive obsessive disorder with blood. He often left his duel opponents with clean slits to their throat. “Minimal mess”, he would say.
Advertisement
“Hey! You can’t be here. This is no place for children.” A police escort showed up behind Krystal and Ming, both of whom were eagerly peering and surveying the crime scene. He was out of breath and looked flustered for having left his post, probably to catch a smoke break. “Wait, did you know her? Any information would be vital for the case. The murderer is still at large, and while we’re on this ship, they may strike again.”
Krystal shook her head no. They had no idea who she was.
The police escort shooed them away and resumed his post standing guard at the crime scene door.
Krystal and Ming reluctantly walked to the end of the hallway. They would wait it out until the police escort left to take another break.
As they reached the end of the corridor, sounds of sobbing grew louder.
Three women, crying uncontrollably and audibly distraught, were holding onto one another. Sandwiched in the middle of them, and supporting them with his muscular arms, was the Celtian fighter Gilgamesh. Upon seeing Krystal, he immediately dropped his act of consoling the ladies, and walked towards Krystal with a swagger.
“Hey! You’re Krystal, right? Checking out the crime scene?” he greeted Krystal with a wide smile on his face. His perfect teeth were white and shiny.
Ming looked Gilgamesh up and down judgingly. He raised his eyebrows at his sister. “How do you manage to attract so much trash?”
Krystal kept silent.
“I assume you guys didn’t know her,” Gilgamesh continued, referring to the murder victim. He took the chance to rebut Ming’s cold attitude and sidled up to Krystal. “When you’re done babysitting your brother, maybe you and I could figure this out. You seem very curious about this murder.” He grinned flirtatiously.
Advertisement
Ming hotly responded, “Do I look like a six-year-old to you?”
Gilgamesh feigned surprise. “Oh, are you not?”
At that very moment, Dart came round the corner and nearly bumped head first into the gang.
“Ooooh, what’s going on here?” he enquired quizzically. “Wait, is someone dead?” Dart’s eyes grew big.
Ming rolled his eyes. He didn’t have a good impression of Dart after he had briefly interacted with his sister at the inauguration, immediately after injuring the emcee dead centre on his head with a flying bicycle. “Speaking of trash…”
Krystal’s next statement shifted all the attention.
“I need some bones,” she announced. It was a cryptic statement.
Three pairs of eyes turned to her in surprise. Ming, Gilgamesh and Dart all looked as if she had just asked for a corpse for her powers… which to be fair, she had.
“What kind of sick power did you get? Dart asked curiously, raising his eyebrows.
Ming aggressively turned to Dart, taking offense at his tone. He was as protective of his sister as she was of him. “Watch it, man,” he growled in a cautioning tone.
Meanwhile, the cogs in Gilgamesh’s mind were churning frantically. “They must have moved the body of the dead girl to the mortuary by now. We have to find the mortuary! All ships have one in case one of the crew dies in passage. The real question is where… It’s not like it’s in the ship’s navigation directory.”
Dart wandered over to the police escort down the corridor and asked him directly. “Hey, do you know where the body has been moved to?”
The police escort was nonchalant. “Third floor below deck, grey door at the end of the hall, unit #03-055. Mortuary entry is restricted to those with security classification red and above.”
“Thanks!” Dart savoured this piece of information proudly. Krystal’s eyes shone with determination.
Gilgamesh’s expression fell as he realised that he had been outsmarted.
“All right! Let’s go find the monastery!” Dart pumped his fist in the air.
Annoyed that the lackeys were latching onto his sister, Ming asked gruffly, “It’s mortuary, dumbass. And don’t you have anything else to do?”
Dart’s mind wandered back to where he had parted ways with Felix. Felix had been busy flexing his muscles as he looked over at a gaggle of pale-skinned Xin ladies sunbathing in deck chairs. “Oh dude, look at all these ladies. I’m going to see if any of them need any help putting on sun lotion. Just watch and learn…” Felix said as he walked away. Dart made an excuse to head back down to his cabin, claiming that he had forgotten his own sun lotion.
Yeah… slim pickings. Dart replied cheerily, “Not really!”
Little did the fighters know that around the corner, Minister Glover had overheard everything. He, too, was on a mission.
Advertisement
Aura of Chaos
He is a demon living in a human world Vice had always looked different. Cursed as a twisted halfling, his appearance makes the townsfolk both terrified and hateful. He spends his days struggling to coexist with the town and blaming himself for his human mother’s hardships. But when his burden becomes too much and he attempts to end it all, a flashing light blinds him. A meteor rains down, bringing with it mysterious voice that echoes in his mind. It calls itself Favian, and claims to come from a faraway place called Earth… Paired with this strange voice and tasked with a destiny beyond his wildest imagination, Vice must grapple with his identity while carving out a place for himself in this world filled with magic– and that’s not easy to do as a 6-foot purple demon… Packed with thrilling action, gritty detail, and plenty of magic, you’ll love The Mage of Chaos. Embodying classic cultivation adventure with LitRPG elements, this fantasy epic is one you won’t want to miss. Grab your copy now!
8 105Oddball
Hi there! I’m currently on medical hiatus! “Oddball” will return August 31st! Safety. Comfort.How far should we chase these things? "Oddball" is the self-given name of a mask-wearing young man living a life of social isolation in the coastal town of Sepike Bay; he spends his days wasting away in his dorm room, only venturing out every now and again to do some light photography. "Oddball" is also the name of a mask-wearing young man living in the vast, cavernous dimension known only as "Limbo", where he wanders aimlessly for all eternity, shutting doors and protecting his safe place. But one day, when "Oddball" meets a strange girl in an oversized raincoat, his life in both worlds is upheaved as the things that once kept him safe become the things that try to imprison him. Hunted, cornered, and faced with new, frightening challenges and experiences, Oddball stands on the precipice of a choice that will forever change his life: take a chance on a newfound freedom, or remained trapped in his world of isolation forever. Obsessions. Fears. Anxieties. Two worlds. Two masks. One story. This is the tale of a boy named "Oddball". NEW UPLOADS WEEKLY: WEDNESDAYS AND SUNDAYS AT 9:00 PM [PST] / 4:00 [UTC] Feel free to leave a comment! Your feedback (both the good and the bad) is valuable to me and helps me improve! I'd really appreciate it! CONTENT WARNING Some or all of the following may not be suitable for some audiences: Mild/Moderate use of language, imagery that may be disturbing or unsettling to some readers, moderate violence, and depictions of mental health topics such as: anxiety, self-hate, self-isolation. Content may not be suitable for younger audiences or those experiencing depression. [If you are experiencing depression, please seek help. There's still hope for you, I promise. :) ] Cover Art Credit: DanaArt42
8 122The Archdevil's Descent
What happens when you throw Demiurge into the world of Seraph of the End. Simple, all hell breaks lose. Figuratively, and literally as well. (No set update Schedule.)
8 176Everlasting ღ Newt TMR¹
❛I know we're not everlasting, We're a train wreck waiting to happen.❜ Lori wakes up inside a grave, along with a body. Finally a boy helps her escape, and he takes her to the Glade, an encampment in the middle of a Maze. Lori has no idea where she is, who she is or how the hell she got into the middle of a Maze. All she knows is that she has to find a way out.!!!WARNING!!!- There will be spoilers for the books and movies (duh) - This was my first proper fanfic, and it's cheesy af Enjoy *+*COMPLETE*+**UNEDITED* I hope you all enjoy my new story. I only own Lori and whoever else you don't recognize from the books! xoxo - WrathfulDeity And please don't copyright, even if the story sucks, I rather it stays mine. COPYRIGHT 2014 ©WrathfulDeity Published 4/11/2014
8 130Daily Dose of Chicklit
Daily Dose of Chicklit brings you daily themes, prompts and recommendations of books for writers and readers alike. Each month we will feature four different themes, each of which will be promoted by the profile. We'll be recommending new books to read, engaging with our followers and posting our favourite comments in our end of the week round-up.
8 151Lessons in Devotion
Bonnie Bennett believed she'd finally discovered her good enough ending. Yet, like most things in her life good enough goes left and leaves her with another ending. Or, perhaps a fire beginning. Journey with everyone's favorite Bennett Witch to the Viking Era for much needed lessons in devotion, courtesy of the Lothbrok brothers.
8 362