House of Trap

22 | Wordplay

The five questions appeared on the iPad for a brief second only. Soon afterward, the questions all disappeared from the screen, leaving the blank tiles of the crossword puzzle they had to solve. They had a chance to read the question, but not enough time to absorb them.

Then the first question reappeared along with a text of 'Player One' assigned to it. Next to it was a countdown timer of thirty minutes. The first answer consisted of four letters.

"Who is player one?" Ethan asked, looking at the others to know whom to pass the ipad to.

"It's not stated like the previous games. I guess we are allowed to determine this ourselves," Bree instructed. She then turned to the others with a hopeful look. "Does anyone know the answer to the first question?"

Jay glanced at it.

Aside from the blue tiles in the swimming pool, what other color was there?

He knew the answer. As someone who frequently passed the garden area to bury some deceased friends, he had grown to accept the peculiarity of the swimming pool he passed. He found it strange when he encountered the odd colored tiles the first time. He wondered what it meant when he buried Oliver. Eventually he chose to ignore it when he buried Natasha. He should've known it was reserved for this game.

"No one?" Bree repeated.

Everyone remained silent, including Jay.

"Let's go outside to check the pool," Maddie suggested, quickly standing up at her idea.

"Or," Ethan held her wrist to stop any reckless movement on her part. He then suggested a much safer alternative. "We can look at it from the second floor. You can see the swimming pool from it."

"Good idea!" Maddie said.

Jay figured he had to go with them to lessen any suspicions he had murdered someone. But realizing Damon remained seated on his seat, maybe he could just stay there as well.

"You lazy bum," Bree muttered under her breath, an insult meant for Damon. Then she pivoted on her heels and followed the two younger ones who ecstatically ran up the stairs with so much determination.

"You two check the east wing and I'll check the west. I forgot which window shows a better view," they heard Ethan instruct. The two girls chimed an okay before it was silent again.

Perhaps Jay should've gone up. Damon was staring at him like he was a criminal. There was something about Damon's condemning nature that made one feel guilty for unnecessary reasons.

"What?" Jay asked to break the tension.

"I just find it interesting," Damon remarked with his fingers tapping his chin. "You were the one who remarked about getting revenge on Ashlyn. And yet, you reaction to her death was almost... fearful."

"Fearful?" Jay repeated. He had never been a good liar. And under the interrogation of someone as sharp as Damon O'Reily, his flaw was magnified.

Damon smirked as he leaned back against his seat. His fingers continuously tapping the surface of the dining table. "But then again, I am in no position to judge your actions. I am no better than you."

Jay frowned, wondering what he could've possibly meant. Had he murdered someone before? Suddenly he thought of Oliver's death back in the garage room that was definitely caused by one of them.

But the other's arrival interrupted before he was given a chance to return the question to the criminologist.

"It's pink," Maddie told them proudly as she picked up the iPad and sat down on a chair.