Whodunnit?

Be suspicious

Angelina reached out towards the sea.

"NO!  NO!" she screamed.

A dusty shade of hospital blue hovered over the sky. Angelina wasn't getting back her friend anytime soon.  I was surprised, however.  Angelina belted out another cry. 

"NO!"

I watched Deena's necklace resurface against the watery sand salt water solution. Angelina ran to as fast as she could to salvage it and began crying.

"No Deena,  NO!"

A toddler looked at her in dismay. He frowned and continued messing with a crumbling clump of sand.

The fire alarm suddenly woke me up from my boring dream.

All 12 people living in the Cherry Complex came scrambling out.  I ran as fast as I could.

I've never experienced a fire before. I didn't look back.  There wasn't time to.  I had no idea where that fire was.  The cranky alarm kept whining in my ear, when something snagged one of the opalescent buttons on my pajamas.

"Thank goodness I found you Angelina."  Maxine breathed with a sigh of relief.

"What's going on?  What happened?"  She looked at me.

I saw Charles' figure scramble out of the doorway, followed by Emily, Brian, Sasha,  Deena, and Kyle.  Nina, Alice, Ethan, Harry, and Tana came out moments later.

"AH!"  I squeaked.  Words were just too little for what I just saw. My eyes watered quickly like I'd just chopped some onions.  My mouth crinkled.

Danté whirled out of the Cherry complex, fanning his arms.  His entire body was engulfed by a hot flame.

"Oh no."  Maxine whispered. 

Danté ran toward the pool, continuing to bat his arms desperately.  He plunged into the crisp water and I watched his chains and socks plummet to the ground.

"Oh my g-g-"  Maxine covered her mouth to keep the stutters away.  It was simply surprising.

The sadness and remorse had not yet set in.  I just wanted to know what happened and why.

"What you are seeing, is just the first death at the Cherry complex."  Butler Christian came out of the building quickly and calmly.

"However,  I do assure you I have nothing to do with this." he reminded us.  I was honestly more suspicious how that old man even escaped that fire and got out here.  The building was in tact.  The thing only on fire was dead Danté.

Maxine looked at me worriedly.  We'd been best friends ever since I first moved into the Cherry.  The Cherry was for the rich...I wonder what happened.

The fire alarm startled me when it turned off abruptly.  Butler Christian explained.

"The truth is, someone here is a killa'."

A cold shudder hurried down my back.  Maxine gave me one of those looks again. 

Ethan and Nina were real unfortunate folks.  They were chatting the the whole time.  They wouldn't have a clue what was going on later.

"Exhibit A!" Butler Christian snapped, escorting us to the bloody pool.  "The killer has asked me not to share his identity.  So it is up to you all to figure him out."

What?  I'm paying for an apartment, not to join the CSI.

"Oh, and one more thing!" Christian reminded us.  "The killer is among you 13 people.  Anyone and everyone is a suspect."

"Our killer also left me a note in my sleep, it reads:  Hello, tenants of the Cherry complex.  Only 13 of us live here, so you must be wondering who will die next, right?  Here's how it goes.  Each one of you will die every single night.  Your murderer, your dearest.  You will be killed in the night.  The next morning, you will see the crime scene.  Obviously, I will not be there, but among you, playing along with you, through shock and surprise.  I will not be at the crime scene, but among you.  You have no idea who I am.  I will wake up with you, scurrying outside when you hear the murder takes place."

I couldn't believe it.  I needed to make a plan.  Quickly.  I couldn't trust anyone.  At the cherry, I thought of my tenants like family.  Like one big family.  Not anymore.

Everyone took heavy sighs.

"But that is not all!",  Christian piped up.  "Ahem.  Let me continue."

His taut grey curls stood up.

"Not only will you see the crime scene, but investigate the crime scene.  You have 3 choices: To visit one of the 3.  The morgue, the salvaged body of the victim, the crime scene, where everything really happened, or the victim's last known whereabouts.  Keep in mind, the crime scene and the victim's last known whereabouts could be anywhere.  Every murder has different circumstances.  Some crime scenes will be better than others to visit.  You must try your best to keep good communications with other members.  For example, try each member in your 'click', to go to one area.  After, share your results.  Talk to anyone you want in the cherry.  Ask other people.  Form alliances.  Be close with a certain group of people.  After this, you will be interviewed in a room with a tripod.  No one will be with you.  Butler Christian will proceed with watching these videos, and all who have good, accurate stories, will receive a 'spared' card at dinner.  2 unlucky tenants will have 'scared cards'; one of which we will die through the night...But i'd hurry."