REPLICA-GAME

<4> Memento Mori

Down in the depths of the dark waters, a deep darkness of nothing was there, waiting. It was present, but it didn't exist and yet, it waited...

[11.18.2021]

"We are here live at a scene that can only be described as a nightmare. According to police, the first body was found around three hours ago. Even now, more bodies are being discovered. Now, investigators have been brought in to help find more bodies. Among the bodies found, there's a total of sixty-one now, some even appear to be women and children."

Strewn all throughout the park, multiple corpses had been discovered. It was unknown when it had happened, but by morning, the bodies were found. But even now, new bodies were found every few minutes.

"We've been issued some new information, after some investigating, police have found even more bodies. Now some are theorizing the total body count to be well over one hundred. At this current moment, it is unclear what was the cause of death to so many people, but some are speculating a mass suicide event."

"However, with so many of the deceased yet to be removed, it is unclear exactly how many bodies are here."

"Dammit!" Grayson yelled in frustration.

"First, a woman's fingers shoved into a mailbox. Then a high school girl goes missing. Then Alexis Stevens hangs himself, and now this?! A mass suicide of over a hundred people?! Just what the hell is going on around here?"

"I don't know. Wouldn't it be a bit premature to label this as suicide?" Belle asked, "I mean, we haven't inspected the bodies yet and-"

"Look around you, Belle! If it wasn't mass suicide, then who killed these people and planted the bodies? Not to mention there isn't any injury or drop of blood from any of the victims."

"With so many cases going on at the same time, the police are starting to run thin. Had to even call for outside support."

"Grayson, take a look at this."

With Belle standing by one of the bodies, Grayson walked to his side and Belle gestured to the ground beside one of the bodies. Written on the dirt near the body were the letters 'C' and 'B'. The victim closest, his index finger, suggesting it was he who drew the letters into the dirt.

"Not only him, but this one as well." Belle pointed to another body, seeing the same letters drawn in the dirt, "Did... did all of them do the same thing?"

Belle hadn't much time to contemplate on the thought as his phone rang.

Meanwhile, among the crowds was Toko, recording the scene and taking as many pictures as she could, "Here I thought scenes like this only happened in the movies." With the pictures taken, she quickly uploaded them to Collective Millennium, finding many others had done the same.

"Looks like multiple people have already posted this. Guess it was a good thing I didn't meet up with that guy. Might've missed the whole thing."

Across the city, many had been watching the scene as the various news stations continued to cover the events. Among them, even Aria, Isaac, as well as Reika, Chloe, and Katsumi.

"The one behind it... left something behind. Something they knew would tell the police who was behind it without saying who was behind it." Aria said to herself.

Hanging up his phone, Belle looked back to Grayson, seeing him looking around the area, scanning over the piling bodies of men, women, and children, "Grayson, that was the station, remember those severed fingers?"

"Yeah, what about them?"

"Yeah well, they managed to identify who they came from. Problem is before anyone could find out, both information and the fingers have gone missing. The information was pulled straight from the computer too."