And Then There Was One (2019)

Chapter 27 - Murder #12

Orlando, Florida

July 3, 2019

Roughly 2:00am EST

Brendan Gallagher, Boris Katchouk, Alex Barre-Boulet, Colby McAuley, Timo Meier, Jonne Tammela and Ross Colton all make their way back to the World Show'scapade Lagoon. They find a sign that lists the countries that are featured as well as a wooden pole with a few arrows pointing in the direction of the country attractions.

Canada is first.

Following the sign into this pavilion, they find themselves unable to help but explore.

They can all tell from the sight of the attraction's pavilion. It was designed to remind guests of the great white north Canadian outdoors, including a canyon, a waterfall, gardens, a pool with fountains and totem poles.

There are roughly three totem poles in the country's attraction, which are based off of the native ones with various animals carved (and painted) into it. Each of them stands up to 30 inch in height and two of them are constructed of fibreglass (one of them is wooden). The wooden one, in the center, depicts three stories of the 'Raven' tricking the 'Sky Chief' into the release of the sun, moon and stars from a chest.

They mark the entrance to the entire pavilion and showcase the captured spirit of the indigenous peoples of Canada's western coast.

Just beyond is a grand building that sits vacant and is a haunting shell of the past, presented (with the aid of forced perspective) to look as if it is six stories in height, but it is really three. Rusting and decaying over is a sign that reads 'Hotel du Canada'.

This is meant to be a replica of the infamous Chateau Laurier hotel in Ottawa. Brendan recalls a similar-looking building from one of the many Ottawa road trips. And at its base is a restaurant that had once been able to provide sit-down service.

"Can we go in?" Alex echoes, clasping his hands together.

"What's the harm in going in and exploring?" Brendan leads them inside like a tour guide.

As the group explores it, they can see that the walls are peeling and the door leading in was cracked in multiple places, as well as having a rusty silver handle. But overall, the interior of it is still intact, giving the impression of a wine cellar as its name suggests with multiple wine carriers up against the peeling walls.

"Smells like wine in here," Timo states, sniffing at the air.

"Well, you know what they say, some people age like fine wine, which ages slowly..." Jonne remarks, lifting his head up high and proud. "And I age like wine, so, therefore I'm young and beautiful and will always be so."

"I'm..." Brendan begins to say. "Going to ignore you."

"Look at this," Boris grumbles, standing before an information placard with Alex at his side. "According to this, the restaurant was also originally a cafeteria-style dining hall. And it is actually a cellar, located underneath the chateau. It was designed to appear as a wine cellar with simulated stone aches and dark ambient lighting."

The food that would be served there, once upon a time, included popular Canadian delicacies like seafood and steaks, as well as wines and beer.

"Let's get out of here, before I get drunk just from the smell," Jonne remarks, swaying in place.

They make their way back out of the wine-smelling building and head toward the gardens.

The Victoria Gardens, which are adjacent to the Hotel du Canada are inspired by the Butchart Gardens near Victoria, British Columbia. The gardens are the largest (and most labor-intensive) of all the national pavilions.

Walking through these majestic flowers, still blossoming and bountiful, they make their way to another building.

Inside this one is another restaurant similar to something like Le Cellier Steakhouse (which is the former home of the Celtic rock band Off Kilter) and popular in Quebec. There's no food in here, but there once was -- serving seafood, steaks, wines and beer like the hotel's restaurant.

They walk past it, passing various little shops and a platform where musicians would entertain guests.

Soon they come to the final building at the back of the pavilion's plaza. This one is a giant square building with a walk-through rock formation, including a waterfall in the center of it. It has a rusty sign that is falling apart that reads 'O Canada!' on the top.

It was once a main attraction. A circle-vision 360 degree movie show of Canada's cities, scenery and people.

Brendan walks into the building, finding himself in the spooky theater room. There are handrails for people to lean on or hold and all around the top part of the room are screens that would display the show.

The others follow him, entering the room.

"Welcome, welcome remaining hockey players of the NHL and NHL-future...well, that is all but Colby McAuley," a voice booms out.

Colby hisses and swipes a paw.

"Pathetic," the voice chuckles.

"What do you want with us?! Why'd you kill? Why are you killing? Who are you?!" Ross shouts out, spinning around and looking for the direction of the location of where the voice is coming from.

"You should know, Colton! All of you have betrayed me!" the voice booms out again.

"But, I figure, I'm going to win at this point, I might as well give you the next line of the poem. You'll just have to figure out in roughly ten minutes WHO the person is that the line is referring to killing. Fair enough?" the deep voice snaps.

"Fair! Give us the poem line!"

"Seven professional hockey players tried to get a clue,

One was another red herring with a bizarre fix and then there were six."

Brendan gasps and looks at the others. "It IS one of us!"

"I vote, running the heck out of here," Jonne says.

"I'm in agreement!" Timo seconds.

The two of them bolt for the door of the room.

Alex and Boris take off next.

Colby and Ross trail lastly, when the doors slam shut behind them and lock.

They all skid to a halt and spin around, blinking. They stare at the closed doors, mortified.

Then, finally, Timo howls out, "GALLY!!"

"Brendan!" Ross adds, banging on the door.

They all bang and pull at the rusty handles. Boris ends up pulling one off, completely out of the holes. But none of the five doors move or open.

"The line of the poem is Brendan Gallagher!! He's the red herring!" Alex wails. "It was Gally!!"

****

Did anyone guess Brendan Gallagher, the red herring (once a villain of mine), as the potential killer in the end? If so, sorry, he's not the killer either... :)

Time to make another guess (and feel free to comment guesses below) as we will soon move onto the next murder here!!