fourth trial

[stagemanagers]

[When the investigation finishes, the lights begin to flicker on and off as that low, gentle rumble echoes through the opera house. Again for those investigating the grounds the outdoor lights illuminating the still night flicker to get their attention.

Your intermission is ending. Please return to your trial room.

The court room looks just as it did before: the grand chandelier glittering above your heads, the dusty red velvet seats. In the orchestra pit your circle of wooden podiums are waiting. Angus, Riley and Shilo's podiums are draped in black crepe with their greyscale funerary portraits, just like your friends before them. The ghost light glows softly behind the podiums.

The curtain is closed, waiting to open when a decision has been reached and the execution can commence.

When everyone is in their places, the Phantom's voice echoes loud and clear through the theatre from his place in box 5. He still sounds distracted, just as he was for his other public appearance this week, like there are other things weighing on his mind.]

You must now determine who was responsible for the death of Shilo Wallace. Submit your vote on the podiums when you are certain of your choice.

[Gather your evidence and let's begin.]

Comments

[heathencall]

She was smaller, not particularly strong, and did not seem like she had a background in combat or athletics.

She was the easiest target.

[holyspit]

Like Angus was saying last week.

[Well that's. That's fine.]

[heathencall]

Is his madness spreading, then?

[holyspit]

Would we be able to tell if it was? Did- anyone get cut by that knife thing, does anyone know?

[37773972]

[uM HE DOESN'T LIKE THAT THOUGHT AT ALL]

I wasn't?

[holyspit]

I wasn't- ...but if I were Evil Steven I probably wouldn't tell you if I had been? Oh man what if I am Evil Steven and don't know it.

[heathencall]

I think the fact that you are questioning it absolves you of it.

I think.

[holyspit]

Maybe I'm so good at lying I'm fooling myself..?

[Steven you have negative amounts of poker face.]

[37773972]

Steven, I don't think you could reach high enough to-

[wait. WAIT. fucking wAIT]

Anne. How high were the wounds?

[holyspit]

[Wow he's not that short anymore, he's got a visible neck and everything.]

[37773972]

[you'll always be smol to him]

[likemypicture]

They were on her upper back-- about here. [She turns to demonstrate on her own body, just below her shoulderblades.]

I was just a little taller than her at the party... She must have been about 5'1? [annes performance boots are TALL]

[37773972]

[He picks up the weeding fork, looking it over and thinking]

...can I ask someone to help me something?

[madgiganticfeelings]

Uh, sure, I can...

[What's the hypothesis, dad?]

[37773972]

[Oh, perfect.]

Did they ever make you watch '12 Angry Men', Christine?

[madgiganticfeelings]

That one about the jury? I remember a bit of it. What does that have to do with stabbing...?

[37773972]

There's a part where they re-enact what might have happened. I want you to help me do that.

[He offers her the tool]

Turn it so the forks aren't pointing at me-[obviously]-and do it slow. [He's already turning his back. Maybe Shilo's closer to Christine's height than his own, but they should at least be able to get an idea, and if they adjust for height...they might be able to narrow things down]

[madgiganticfeelings]

[Christine feels... very uncomfortable holding the weapon that someone more than likely killed Shilo with, but she dutifully walks forward, up to Stephen. She slowly turns the tool around and slowly swings it to see where it lands on Stephen's back. She's a little shorter than the other teens, but...]

[justmeheere]

.......... Wait. What way were the two, uh, wounds? Oriented.

[justmeheere]

Dude, chill. Angus. He said it's. Magically inert? Or whatever. Here.

[heathencall]

I don't know how comforting that is. If it is spreading, that means someone here did this of their own volition.

[holyspit]

...Okay but did he say that before or after it- did whatever it did to him.

[justmeheere]

I mean, tech. Technically after? He got stabbed before. Before we all got here.

[holyspit]

Mmmnnng- okay. So. Hopefully before it had really, you know, taken affect, then.

[37773972]

...she was getting over her...'sickness', too. So while she was getting better, if anyone was going to do it...

[Now he feels sick. Again.]