House of horrors

A Bizarre Event

The crowd heads out of the dining room, and Coiseam releases her grip on my hand. She looks at me hesitantly. I suddenly realize that she probably doesn't want to see Paco's body again.

"Are you okay, Coiseam? Why don't I take you to your room?" I ask her in concern.

"Rae..." She begins. "I've been trying to forget about all this the past few days. I thought I could just put it out of my mind. The kitchen has been restored to its original state. No blood on the floor, no spilled soup... but when I'm alone in the kitchen, my mind can't stop thinking about it. I get so scared I start shivering..."

"Coiseam..." I can't even imagine how horrible that sight must have been for her.

"I still want to go with you." She tells me.

"Why? You shouldn't force yourself." I tell her in surprise and concern.

"I wish I was braver, Rae. I wish I could be of more help." She says looking down at the floor.

"You'v already been a great help, Coiseam." Saskia tells her calmly. "What if we go together? If you're afraid, we can stay in the hallway." Saskia is the oldest among us, and her confident reassurance works. Coiseam hesitant gaze turns determined.

"Let's go." I say to them. On the way to Paco's room, the only sound in the hallway is footsteps. Nobody says a word. Saskia tells me that she and Anson were the ones who placed Paco's body back in his room.

"We're here." Anson tells everyone. I stare at the wooden door before Anson. It's no different from the other rooms. Its interior decoration must be similar as well. But it's hard to imagine a cold body resting in such an ordinary bedroom.

"Have you always had the key? Zacharias asks as Anson takes out the key. "Please don't misunderstand. I just want to understand the status of the body. After all, quite some time has passed. We need to be mentally prepared."

"The key has been in my possession temporarily. Saskia and I have been checking the body every day after we wake up." Anson answers. The body itself hasn't changed much. This may be due to the cool, dry air in the house. Or perhaps the time loop has prevented the body from decaying naturally. Either way, it is indeed a dead body, and Zacharias is right. Everyone, please take a moment to prepare yourselves." Anson looks around the check that we're all ready before inserting the key. Everyone's eyes are glued to the door as it gradually opens. The tension makes me hold my breath. But when the door is finally open, everyone freezes...

"The body... is gone?" I say out loud. The empty bedroom is more shocking than the dead body would have been. Anson hesitates for a moment before hurrying inside. We follow his lead and enter one by one. The modest bedroom is crowded with so many people inside. We look around, but there's no sign of the body. "Could we be in the wrong room? Every room looks the same.

"No. Each room has its own key. This must be the room." Saskia says. We came this morning, and Paco's body was still here!"

"What a fortuitous time for a body to disapear, don't you think?" Bill & Billy say angerly.

"I always carry the key with me, and the lock doesn't show any signs of being broken." Anson says. "And people walk through this hallway all the time. No one could move the body under our noses."

"Have you forgotten? Miss Rae appeared right under our noses." Bill & Billy say accusingly. "These weird things began to happen when she showed up..."

"I... I didn't do anything!" I say trying to defend myself against the false accusations.

"It can't be her. I found her in the morning when I was walking back with Saskia after checking the body." Anson says defending me. "She's been with one of us since. She didn't have an opportunity nor a motive."