Globusz^® Publishing 

Once again Lori and Ryan couldn’t help glancing at each other. Gasps reverberated around the room. Some froze still in their chairs. Others fidgeted markedly and shuffled in their chairs. Mick stood up.

“The least you can do is tell those two why they are dying ”– Mick insisted.

“That’s for the rest of you to figure out. Now who is it going to be? Anybody feeling ill yet?”

Lori grabbed at her throat and started to really struggle to breathe.

“Is it her?” Rachel asked.

“Not necessarily, she’s asthmatic so it might just be an attack.” Ryan said as he dropped to the floor on one knee next to Lori, and put an arm around her. “Breathe into this. I found it in the drawers in my room, I thought it might come in useful.” He handed Lori a paper bag.

Lori looked at Ryan and for the first time. She felt much more trust towards him than suspicion.

“Hasn’t she got and inhaler?” Rachel asked.

“Not on this trip”– Ryan replied.

Michael and Bill started to have shortness of breathe themselves. And they were not asthmatics. They began to sweat and grabbed their own throats. Michael collapsed to the floor. Bill stood from his chair, staggered around for a few seconds then also slumped to the floor.

Lori’s condition worsened so Ryan stayed with her. Rachel screamed. Mick ran to check first Michael and then Bill. Lee and Shannon jumped up out of their chairs.

“I’m not a medical expert. But I’m pretty sure they are both dead.” Mick announced after checking for a pulse.

“No, shit! Sherlock.” Lee snapped back.

Ryan remained by Lori’s side whilst the others started to pace around the room. Extremely panicked. Rachel went to one of the doors and to no avail tried to open it. After the fourth wiggle of the handle, she kicked the bottom of the door and let out another scream.

“Sorry my dear, all the doors are locked ”– the loudspeaker voice announced. “You should all be happy it wasn’t you.”

“Feeling lots of extreme emotion right now, happiness is not near being one of them ”– Mick said.

“Actually there is one of you that knew full well you wouldn’t die. That’s right. There is one amongst you who is on my side. Now all you have to do is work out which one. What we are going to do is let each of you speak on your own behalf, expressing just how trustworthy you are. Then when you’ve all finished speaking, each of you will pick the person they think is in cahoots with me.”

“Oh no, this can’t be happening. Not to me.” Rachel leaned up against a wall, slide down it then started to cry.

“Well it sure as hell isn’t me that’s working with this psycho”– Lee said firmly.

“Go on then, present your case”– Mick told Lee.

“I’m just a karate instructor from New York city, man. I stay well out of trouble. Well, ever since I had a slightly troublesome childhood anyway. Karate gave me a way out of that early life of mine. And I’m very happy with my life now, until this little holiday adventure.”

“That it?” Mick asked.

“That’s all there is to me. I never claimed to be an exciting guy. So you are a New York cop? You seem familiar to me. You’re sure we haven’t met before?”

“I don’t think so. Although, now that you mention it, I think that very vaguely I recognize you. Yes I am a New York cop, a pretty good one at that. I’m very hard working. You can ask my ex-wife. My job is the reason we’re no longer married. I just couldn’t give her the attention she undoubtedly deserved. We have a son. And I promise you I’m nowhere near the sort of guy who would be involved with killing people.”

“We are two perfectly normal guys then. Whether we believe it or not, that’s your story and you are sticking to it.” Shannon spoke with sadness.

“So are you just normal?” Mick asked her.

“What the hell is normal? I have a dull job in computers. I’m good at it. But to be honest don’t really like it at all. I live on my own. I have no serious relationships. And frankly I don’t have a great deal of passion for life. I enjoy a game of tennis and going to the movies. Oh, wow, this is turning into a personal ad.”

“Now is your turn Rachel.” Mick said.

Rachel was still sat up against the wall and crying. She stared ahead without emotion as she replied: “It isn’t me. It isn’t me. I just want to go home. I shouldn’t be here. It isn’t me...”

The other five looked at Rachel, not at all sure what to make of her forlorn look. Mick, Shannon and Lee then looked at Ryan and Lori.

“Well, I think Lori will be struggling to speak, what is with the asthma, and the other things.” Ryan said defensively.

“It’s all right. I can speak”– Lori said but the words weren’t flowing. “This whole situation is a nightmare for me. I’m a quiet girl who works in a library. People who know me would laugh at the suggestion I could be involved in anything as sinister as this plan. Most people don’t even notice me. I’m begging you guys to notice just how unremarkable I am. You talk about normal people. And I agree that is hard to define. But I assure you I am definitely a very insignificant person – the sort who would drift through life.”

“Logically, I should be left out from the list of suspects. I’m not going to give any speeches about who I am. It doesn’t really matter what I say. I’m sure you’ve all already made your mind up. Whatever I tell you I can’t prove it. Just like there’s no way, any of you can prove anything you say to be true. As it happens I came over to this country on a golf scholarship. And have been here ever since. I work as a writer now. I’m not involved in this mad scheme. But then again I could be lying. So let’s just get on with this psycho’s pathetic little game.”

“Do I sense a deal of defiance?” The loudspeaker voice wondered. “In your current situation I have to admire that. Very well then let’s get to the good part. Instead of asking who you trust I am actually asking who you don’t trust. So I want each one of you to tell everybody here who you think is in on my plan. Let’s start with the policeman amongst you.”

“Who do I think it is? You really are seriously psychotic. I’ll play along. Actually my gut instinct is that Lori is the one working with you.” Mick looked at Lori. “Sorry, but I just think there’s something too fake about the ‘pretty young lady with asthma’, scenario.”

“Interesting”– the loudspeaker announced. “Mr. Lee Morris it is your turn.”

“Oh, man! I really have no clue. Just because I feel I have seen you somewhere before. I think it’s you Mick.”

“Picking the policeman. Very interesting!” The loudspeaker continued its commentary.

“We don’t know whether he’s a policeman or not. Don’t you get that?” Shannon said with exasperation. “I suppose you want me to name somebody. Oh God, this is so incredibly difficult. I’m so sorry if I’m wrong, Lori, but I agree with Mick.”

Lori felt numb. The situation had become so bizarre that it wasn’t really registering with her that people were accusing her of being involved in a plot that has killed two people to date. Tears fell softly down her cheeks. And her mental efforts were all going towards warding off another asthma attack.

“Is it my turn?” Rachel asked amongst the tears. “It really isn’t me. But I don’t know who it is either. I think it’s Ryan. He seems to be the odd one out. He didn’t give much of an appeal and he’s British.”

“Definite hint of xenophobia there, but at least I suppose it makes your reasoning slightly less personal.” Ryan managed to take it surprisingly phlegmatically.

“Oh God I’m sorry Ryan. Just realized I’ve basically accused you of murder. This is so mad.” Rachel wiped the tears away and seemed to gain more control over her voice than she previously had.

“Don’t worry about it Rachel. Believe it or not no offence taken. Lori are you ready to wildly point the finger?”

“I think it might actually be Rachel. Sorry honey but people are accusing me because of my frail image. There you are crying, up against the wall and looking all worthy of sympathy. This situation it’s probably genuine. But maybe it’s a performance worthy of an academy award.”

“Fair enough Lori. I tell you what. I’m so distraught by this whole situation. My mind is so scrambled that I don’t know what to think. Maybe you are right!” Rachel spoke with the air of a despondent drunk, despite not having any alcohol in her system at all.

Lori and Rachel looked at each other and both managed to produce little smiles. Only Ryan’s opinion had gone unheard. And soon enough the others were all looking at him expectantly.

“Time for my words of wisdom. Well I don’t think it’s any of you. When the guy announced that two of us would die you all looked suitably spooked to me. And Shannon and Mick looked at each other. And Rachel and Lee also looked at each other. During the day at some point I asked each of you if you wanted to go for a walk around the house grounds. None of you wanted to go. And when I pushed the issue, none of you were good at making up believable excuses. Not one of you has left the building at any time as far as I’m aware. The thing with the three ladies all dressed up just looks very fake to me. All of us have spent the day prying into each other’s lives. In this situation I had the feeling of trying to find out who was trustworthy and who wasn’t. I’ve got a feeling we’re all in exactly the same boat – all scrambling for a paddle. You asked who I thought it was. And I’ve answered that question. So I really don’t think I’ve broken the rules of your game.”

“Very well. I always like to push the limits of the rules myself.” The loudspeaker voice intervened. “I must admit it has been fun watching you all. You can call me a power freak if you want.”

“There are a few things we’d like to call you”– Ryan said.

“Mr. Walsh, you are indeed right. None of you are in, on my plan. But now, the rest of you are going to have to live with the fact that you thought someone amongst your group was a traitor.”