𝗗𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗔𝗡𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗣𝗔: 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥 𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗬 𝗛𝗔𝗩𝗢𝗖

𝗜𝗧𝗦𝗙𝗨𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗛: 𝗬𝗛𝗦 𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡

[𝗗𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗟𝗬 𝗟𝗜𝗙𝗘]

𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁?

[𝘆𝗲𝘀] 𝗇𝗈

𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙡𝙤𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜......

❝𝘗𝘌𝘖𝘗𝘓𝘌 𝘈𝘙𝘌𝘕'𝘛 𝘈𝘚 𝘚𝘛𝘙𝘖𝘕𝘎 𝘈𝘚 𝘠𝘖𝘜 𝘈𝘙𝘌! 𝘞𝘌 𝘊𝘈𝘕'𝘛 𝘈𝘓𝘓 𝘉𝘌 𝘓𝘐𝘒𝘌 𝘠𝘖𝘜,❞

-𝙍𝙔𝙊𝙏𝘼 𝙈𝙄𝙏𝘼𝙍𝘼𝙄, 𝘿𝘼𝙉𝙂𝘼𝙉𝙍𝙊𝙉𝙋𝘼 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙀𝙉𝘿 𝙊𝙁 𝙃𝙊𝙋𝙀'𝙎 𝙋𝙀𝘼𝙆 𝘼𝘾𝘼𝘿𝙀𝙈𝙔𝙁𝙐𝙏𝙐𝙍𝙀𝘼𝙍𝘾

A crushing weight sits on my shoulders, my heart rapidly increasing in speed as it beats. Regardless of my worries, I try my best to simply stare forward at the wall as the lift takes us down to the courtroom.

It's a deathly silence in the small room, everyone standing around side by side as we awkwardly avoid eye contact. It's too intimidating to try and break the quietness.

Alec, the Ultimate Hacker, who had grown to become my friend over the course of a few days, was dead. Murdered by someone among our group. And now, we have to find out who.

Eventually, the metal doors open with a groan that echoes throughout the area. One by one, we all wander out of the elevator and aimlessly into the courtroom.

People hesitate at first, not entirely knowing where to stand. It's a little bit before we all manage to remember where each of us stood the first class trial. Or at least, we think this is where we all stood last time.

We're here again. Why?

We weren't supposed to come back here.

I shake my head and grip the podium.

Focus. We have to figure this out.

𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗔𝗟𝗕𝗘𝗚𝗜𝗡

𝗖𝗔𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗖

𝗠𝗢𝗡𝗢𝗞𝗨𝗠𝗔

Let's begin with a basic explanation of the class trial! Your votes will determine the results. If you can figure out 'whodunnit' then only they will receive punishment. But if you pick the wrong one... then I'll punish everyone besides the blackened, and the one that deceived everyone else will graduate!"

𝗞𝗬𝗥𝗔𝗡:

"H-how do we even start again?"

𝗔𝗟𝗬:

"I don't care how we start; I just want this to be done. I want whoever did this to pay."

𝗜𝗧𝗦𝗙𝗨𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗛:

"We know, Aly. But we have to be reasonable. None of us want to die."

𝗔𝗟𝗬:

"Alec didn't want to die either."

𝗩𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘 𝗠𝗔𝗞𝗜:

"Oooooookaaaay, let's move on from that!"

𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗡𝗘𝗬 𝗕𝗘𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗨:

"So, like, what do we do now?"

𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟𝗬𝗡 𝗪𝗬𝗡𝗗:

"We should go over everyone's alibis at the time of the murder."

𝗦𝗘𝗡𝗣𝗔𝗜:

"So... who goes first?"

𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟𝗬𝗡 𝗪𝗬𝗡𝗗:

"Let's go clockwise. That means you go, Kyran."

𝗞𝗬𝗥𝗔𝗡:

"I w-was asleep in my dorm, I swear."

𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗚𝗢𝗡:

"The more you panic, the guiltier you sound. Just putting it out there."

𝗞𝗬𝗥𝗔𝗡:

"H-hey! I'm not Alec's murderer! I have every r-right to be scared!"

𝗙𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔 𝗪𝗘𝗜𝗭:

"For once, I agree with that loser."

𝗔𝗟𝗬:

"Or are you getting scared because you know you're guilty? Is that why? Is it?"

𝗣𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗕𝗢𝗪𝗦:

"Woah, it's okay, Aly. Just calm down. We shouldn't just accuse."

𝗔𝗟𝗬:

"I want whoever did this to pay. I'll never forgive them! What's so wrong with that? Am I not allowed to be angry that someone murdered my brother?"

𝗣𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗕𝗢𝗪𝗦:

"We're not saying that. It's just..."

𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟𝗬𝗡 𝗪𝗬𝗡𝗗:

"She means that a courtroom is no place for emotions to get the better of someone."

𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗚𝗢𝗡:

"Ouch. That was a little harsh. Even for you."

𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗣𝗘:

"But she has a point. If we want to get out of this alive, then we can't let our feelings get in the way of seeing things as they really are."

𝗞𝗬𝗥𝗔𝗡:

"But t-that's kinda cruel, isn't it?"

𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟𝗬𝗡 𝗪𝗬𝗡𝗗:

"This whole situation is cruel. It's not being inhuman, it's survival. None of us want each other to get hurt. But we have to do what we have to in order to live."

𝗦𝗘𝗡𝗣𝗔𝗜:

"Actually—"

𝗜𝗧𝗦𝗙𝗨𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗛:

"Okay, okay! Guys, now isn't the time for... conflict or philosophy. We don't have that long to finish this class trial."

𝗙𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔 𝗪𝗘𝗜𝗭:

"We haven't even started it, Ironing Board."

𝗜𝗧𝗦𝗙𝗨𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗛:

"Exactly. So let's begin again."

𝗞𝗬𝗥𝗔𝗡:

"I already said mine... so now it's Lunar's turn."

𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗣𝗘:

"I was drawing at that time. But I never left my room. After I heard some noises come from outside, I went straight to bed. No murderer was gonna catch me, that's for sure."

𝗦𝗘𝗡𝗣𝗔𝗜:

"I guess it's my turn. I was in my dorm. Awake, but I never left my room. But I did leave to go get something to dri—"

𝗔𝗟𝗬:

"And you killed my brother during that time?"

𝗦𝗘𝗡𝗣𝗔𝗜:

"What? No!"

𝗔𝗟𝗬:

"You could have!"

𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗚𝗢𝗡:

"No, he couldn't have. I'm his alibi. But I'll explain when it's my turn."

𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟𝗬𝗡 𝗪𝗬𝗡𝗗:

"Aly, I understand how you feel, but please, settle down. We're trying to solve this. For your brother."

𝗔𝗟𝗬:

"...Okay."

𝗦𝗘𝗡𝗣𝗔𝗜:

"As I was saying, I went to get something to drink. But when I left my room, I ran into Draco. The two of us went to the kitchen together, and then I went back to my dorm. Fell asleep after that."

𝗣𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗕𝗢𝗪𝗦:

"I guess it's my turn since Evan's podium is... anyway, I was asleep I think. I didn't stay awake too long after the nighttime announcement. I only woke up once, and it was because of some weird noises."

𝗜𝗧𝗦𝗙𝗨𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗛:

"My turn. I was awake. I couldn't sleep; too anxious, you know? And then I heard some noise. When I peeked out my door, I saw someone in the hallway. I don't think I've ever ran faster than when I dove back into bed. After that, I forced myself to fall asleep."

𝗩𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘 𝗠𝗔𝗞𝗜:

"Oooh, my turn! I was awake, too, but it was so quiet that I fell asleep. I didn't leave or anything. I was too busy thinking of—"

𝗔𝗟𝗬:

"Yeah, okay. Next."

𝗦𝗘𝗡𝗣𝗔𝗜:

"Well, aren't you fun at parties."

𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗣𝗘:

"If anyone starts fighting, I will legitimately lose my mind so please, just continue. Geez."

𝗙𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔 𝗪𝗘𝗜𝗭:

"Alright, listen up. I was awake for a while. Picking out the right outfit since obviously I'm the only one in here with the common sense to always keep myself presentable."

𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗚𝗢𝗡:

"I wasn't the only one who just got a headache, right?"

𝗞𝗬𝗥𝗔𝗡:

"Wait, we only have the same pairs of our same outfits. How could you even pick it out?"

𝗜𝗧𝗦𝗙𝗨𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗛:

"That's what I said!"

𝗔𝗟𝗬:

"We're getting sidetracked."

𝗙𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔 𝗪𝗘𝗜𝗭:

"Anyway, during that time, I heard some noise. Footsteps. But I ignored it and carried on. I ended up painting my nails! You see, it's the color—"

𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗣𝗘:

"As an artist, I can one-hundred percent confirm that those colors do not go well."

𝗙𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔 𝗪𝗘𝗜𝗭:

"Well, as the Ultimate Model, I know that they do go well."

𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗣𝗘:

"Really? Because my color wheel is having a breakdown over it."

𝗙𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔 𝗪𝗘𝗜𝗭:

"Whatevs! After I finished painting my nails, I heard more noises. Footsteps again. Of course, I'm not dumb enough to check it out. I don't have a death wish, so I just went to bed."

𝗔𝗟𝗬:

"I was awake and out of my room before the murder. Except I was with Draco in the library. I got there at twelve-ten. We had to talk about something. Afterwards, I went back to my room and fell asleep."

𝗞𝗬𝗥𝗔𝗡:

"Wait, so you're two people's alibis?"

𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗚𝗢𝗡:

"Yeah."

𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗡𝗘𝗬 𝗕𝗘𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗨:

"I was asleep. Literally. That's it."

𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗚𝗢𝗡:

"My turn. Before the murder, I met up with Aly. We had something to discuss and when we were done, it was twelve-twenty. I checked the clock in the library. I fell asleep for a bit and woke up because of some noise. It was twelve-twenty-seven by that point, and I went downstairs. That's when I ran into Senpai and you know the rest. Fell asleep once I went back to my dorm."

𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟𝗬𝗡 𝗪𝗬𝗡𝗗:

"Lastly, me. I'll admit, I do not have an airtight alibi. I was asleep during the time of the murder."

𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗡𝗘𝗬 𝗕𝗘𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗨:

"Oh, my gawd! Draco could have murdered him!"

𝗘-𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞: 𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗧𝗛 𝗕𝗨𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗧𝗦

𝗟𝗢𝗔𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔𝗠𝗠𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡....

𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐭 "𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐩𝐚𝐢'𝐬 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭" 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐭 "𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬" 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐭 "𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐤𝐮𝐦𝐚 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐞 " 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄:

[𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐏 𝐃𝐄𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐄]

𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬' 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬. 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆?

[𝙮𝙚𝙨] 𝘯𝘰

𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙡𝙤𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜....

𝗔𝗟𝗬:

"She has a point! 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒉𝒊𝒎!"

𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗚𝗢𝗡:

"No, I couldn't have."

𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗣𝗘:

"I mean... there is evidence that points to you being the killer."

𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗚𝗢𝗡:

"And that is?"

𝗞𝗬𝗥𝗔𝗡:

"You said you were u-upstairs to talk to Aly, right? And you stayed behind after she went d-downstairs?"

𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗚𝗢𝗡:

"Yeah, I did."

𝗣𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗕𝗢𝗪𝗦:

"I get what they're saying; you were upstairs at the time of the murder. You said it yourself, it was twelve-twenty-seven, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒉𝒊𝒎 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆."

[𝐒𝐖𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐁𝐔𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐓: "𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐩𝐚𝐢'𝐬 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭"]

[𝐀𝐈𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐓 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓]

𝗜𝗧𝗦𝗙𝗨𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗛:

"No, that's wrong!"

𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐭 "𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐩𝐚𝐢'𝐬 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭" 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐭 "𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐛𝐨𝐰'𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭"

𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊!

[𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐏 𝐃𝐄𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐄: 𝐄𝐍𝐃]

𝗜𝗧𝗦𝗙𝗨𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗛:

"If he woke up at twelve-twenty-seven and took the second stairwell, it would already be exactly around the time of the murder. But at that very moment, he was with Senpai. With that, Draco would have an alibi, and accompanying it, so would Senpai."

𝗞𝗬𝗥𝗔𝗡:

"Oh."

𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗚𝗢𝗡:

"I told you."

𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟𝗬𝗡 𝗪𝗬𝗡𝗗:

"I think we should review the crime itself."

𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗡𝗘𝗬 𝗕𝗘𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗨:

"What about it?"

𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟𝗬𝗡 𝗪𝗬𝗡𝗗:

"Well, there's something that we have yet to truly figure out yet. Isn't that right, Funneh?"

𝗜𝗧𝗦𝗙𝗨𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗛:

Something we haven't figured out yet? What about the crime itself haven't we discussed? Come on, think...

𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐃 𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄:

【𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐌𝐀𝐍'𝐒 𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐁𝐈𝐓】

𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧. 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞. 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫.

𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆?

[𝙮𝙚𝙨] 𝘯𝘰

𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙡𝙤𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜....

► ◄

𝗜𝗧𝗦𝗙𝗨𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗛

"I've got it!"

𝗣𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗕𝗢𝗪𝗦:

"What is it?"

𝗜𝗧𝗦𝗙𝗨𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗛:

"How was Alec murdered?"

𝗦𝗘𝗡𝗣𝗔𝗜:

"Blunt force trauma to the head. The Monokuma File already said—"

𝗜𝗧𝗦𝗙𝗨𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗛:

"No, not that! I meant what killed him? We know why he died, but not how. What was the murder weapon?"

𝗩𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘 𝗠𝗔𝗞𝗜:

"What did kill him?"

[𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐏 𝐃𝐄𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐄: 𝐁𝐄𝐆𝐈𝐍]

𝗘-𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞: 𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗧𝗛 𝗕𝗨𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗧𝗦

𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗢𝗔𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔𝗠𝗠𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡...

𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐭 "𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐤𝐮𝐦𝐚 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐞" 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐭 "𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐲" 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐭 "𝐃𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐈𝐧 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠" 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐭 "𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐎𝐧 𝐀𝐫𝐦𝐬" 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

𝗞𝗬𝗥𝗔𝗡:

"Maybe 𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒉𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒚."

𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗣𝗘:

"Wouldn't he have seen someone coming at him with a weapon?"

𝗔𝗟𝗬:

"There's no object in the dance room that can be used as a weapon to hit someone with a heavy impact."

𝗣𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗕𝗢𝗪𝗦:

"Oh! Maybe the killer 𝒔𝒏𝒖𝒄𝒌 𝒖𝒑 𝒃𝒆𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒊𝒎 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒊𝒕 𝒉𝒊𝒎 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒚!"

𝗔𝗟𝗬:

"My brother was more careful than that. He would have noticed someone sneaking up behind him."

𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗚𝗢𝗡:

"Then that only leaves the option that they were standing in front of him."

𝗦𝗘𝗡𝗣𝗔𝗜:

"But the only problem with that is that the fatal blow was delivered on the backside of his head, so he had to have been struck from behind."

𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟𝗬𝗡 𝗪𝗬𝗡𝗗:

"We aren't looking at the full picture. Think about the scene again. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆'𝒔 𝒄𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒆𝒍𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒕 𝒖𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒅𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏."

[𝐒𝐖𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐁𝐔𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐓: "𝐃𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐈𝐧 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠"]

[𝐀𝐈𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐓 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓]

𝗜𝗧𝗦𝗙𝗨𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗛:

"I agree!"

𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐭 "𝐃𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐈𝐧 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠" 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐭 "𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲𝐧'𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭"

𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓!

[𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐏 𝐃𝐄𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐄: 𝐄𝐍𝐃]

𝗜𝗧𝗦𝗙𝗨𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗛:

"You're right! It's like Aly said earlier; there's no object that can be used to hit someone. What if Alec hit it?"

𝗙𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔 𝗪𝗘𝗜𝗭:

"What?"

𝗜𝗧𝗦𝗙𝗨𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗛:

"The dent in the railing! Nothing could make such a deep dent without slamming on it with a heavy impact. What if that's what delivered the final blow?"

𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗚𝗢𝗡:

"Are you so sure about that?"

[𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐏 𝐃𝐄𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐄: 𝐁𝐄𝐆𝐈𝐍]

𝗘-𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞: 𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗧𝗛 𝗕𝗨𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗧𝗦

𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗢𝗔𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔𝗠𝗠𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡...

𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐭 "𝐁𝐨𝐝𝐲'𝐬 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧" 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐭 "𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐲" 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐭 "𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐓𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐎𝐧 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭" 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐭 "𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐤𝐮𝐦𝐚 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐞 " 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

𝗜𝗧𝗦𝗙𝗨𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗛:

"What do you mean?"

𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗚𝗢𝗡:

"It sounds like you're implying that 𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒚 𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒊𝒕 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒅."

𝗞𝗬𝗥𝗔𝗡:

"T-that can't be! Why would w-we even have this trial if there was no m-murderer?"