A Murder, One Missing, Two Left // Val Dashing

14

As you enter the closet, its darker than the rest of the mall, filtering no light at all. Your eyes straining to find any items until you manage to find the chain in the middle of the cramped room.

Pulling it down, artificial light sparks, lighting the entire room. It was completely empty, completely normal—other than the faint stains of blood still in the corner. The smell of the room felt masked, but you couldn't quite tell what.

You look around the room quickly, scanning for anything that might look fake, yet you don't find anything suspicious. Damnit.

What would Julie look for?

You scan the room again, everything still looking normal until you finally see it. The shelf, a tall metal frame, covered in cleaning supplies. But the shelf wasn't the fake part, the wall behind it. A thin line that separated the off-white color from the other part of the wall, just a hint brighter. No one would notice if no one was paying enough attention. 

You step closer to the shelf, not needing to go far. The closet was cramped, yes, but it had enough room for a human being. You try pushing at the shelf first, it didn't budge, only shaking the items on the shelves. Then, you try to pull, the shelf finally moves toward you, heavier than expected. The items shake as the shelf moves, producing a loud sound with the scraping of the metal against the flooring. Once you make enough room for you to fit in, you shove yourself behind the shelf, pushing against the fake part of the wall to see if you can get yourself inside.

To no avail, you temporarily give up, giving the wall a better look. Maybe there is a lever, or something, if the wall wont open through pushing or pulling. There had to be a way inside.

You stare at the wall for what feels like forever, analyzing it, trying to find out how to open it.

Your mind keeps dragging your eyes to that corner, the one covered in faint blood stains on concrete. The police photo of Aster's dead body, the slashes on her... You shiver at the memory. That picture will haunt you for life. 

You had one mission right now, find Julie. You couldn't just stare at that scene in your head forever. But something catches your eye. A shine in that same corner. You go closer to see what it was. Maybe it could help.

It was Aster's earring. Huh. You swear she was wearing it when she died, so why is it on the ground? The whole group, You, Aster, Jamie, and Torin all had that same matching earring, it was a pact almost. 

The black cross earring lay on the floor, half scuffed. You reach out but stop yourself. It might have evidence, you then used your sleeve to grab it, as to not add your fingerprints. Examining it, you notice dried blood still on the side. You noticed it was laying a certain way, a way that it wouldn't have landed if it fell off Aster, almost like it was pointing somewhere.