TILL DEATH

Chapter Two

"Rodney!" Helena cries. "My husband!"

People are still gasping all over the room, and some are even throwing up at the sight of a dead body.

I inch closer to Helena and Rodney's lifeless body, hoping to comfort her. She's in hysterics, just like Thomas' mother.

"Don't come any closer, Rose!" she demands. "You must've done this!" Her tone turns cold and harsh towards me.

Everyone whispers among themselves. I shake my head at the thought of everyone accusing me of stabbing Rodney. Everyone saw that I was standing a good distance from the couple, so it couldn't have been me.

"Helena, you were the last one to hold that knife that's in his back," I try to say calmly.

She shakes her head, "Why would I want to kill my husband? My newly wed husband at that?" She kneels beside Rodney, and takes his body into her arms, cradling him. "Oh, Rodney. We would've had so many adventures together. I had it all planned out for us." She sobs.

Blaize is just standing there looking dumbfounded as if he doesn't believe his cousin is now dead. "Rose, you have blood stains from Thomas. Clearly, you're the culprit."

I roll my eyes, "Blaize, you were with me whenever Thomas was killed. We weren't even in the room when it happened. You know why I have blood on my dress."

He shakes his head disbelievingly. "No, I don't. I walked away before I saw anything. For all I know you could have swam in his blood to have the satisfaction, you twisted phsyco."

Those words sting. His words are hurtful, but I keep my posture composed for my sake as well as everyone else's. Through gritted teeth I say, "I didn't do it."

"I don't care who did it!" Helena shouts over the both of us. "I just want to find him-"

"Or her," I add. She gives me a death glare, and I put my arms up in defense.

"I just want to find him OR HER and personally kill them myself," she sounds so edgy. "They're going to pay for what they did to Rodney." She stands up, leaving Rodney's body to lie on the ground.

I clasp my hands together and clear my throat, "On that note, I need a group of people to help me. I know a way we can spot him OR HER from killing anymore people. Who's in?"

Everyone seems skepticl about the situation, so most of them just back away from the room and leaving the manor all together.

I drop my shoulders and hang my head. Of course no one wants to put their life in danger to catch a killer. They wanted to have fun and have a good time at a wedding, but that was shortlived.

Once nearly everyone is out of the room, I turn my head back to the almost empty ballroom. Only a few stayed behind.

Helena is one of them, of course. To my surpirse, Blaize even stays behind. Niobe is a no brainer. She loves mysteries as much as I do, and she's always willing to throw herself in danger's way. She's always said it gives her a rush of adrenaline as well putting her on the brink of death. It keeps her on her toes.

There are a few other people who stay behind. Father Grim, I'm sure, doesn't have a say if he stays here or not. He nearly lives in the church, so he has to be here no matter what.

The others that stayed are a young teenaged girl an three other youn adults like myself and Niobe.

"So this is who I have," I say more to myself. "Let's get closer so the killer won't strike us unknowingly." I say.

Everyone obligues and walks closer to the center of the ballroom. "So this is who we have to search for the murderer of my husband?" Helen whines.