✦ confidential · case file no. xxiii
a body in the
cedar house
on the evening of the twenty-third, between the second pour and the third course, someone in this house will be dead. the cedar will not say who. the cellar will not say why. by midnight, one of you will know — and the rest will only think you do.
the rules of the room
- i. you will be handed a character at the door.
- ii. you may lie. you must not break.
- iii. cherries mean something. so do gloves.
- iv. one accusation each. choose late.
the suspects
the evidence
v · exhibitsexhibit a
a coupe glass · no cherry, no lipstick, half full
exhibit b
a torn page from the guest book · the 23rd entry, missing
exhibit c
a single pearl earring · cellar floor, near the cedar
exhibit d
a lighter · monogrammed v.c., still warm
exhibit e
a letter, half-burned · '...if she finds out, she'll—'
the timeline
52 minutes17:48
the deceased pours the first coupe. refuses the cherry.
18:12
raised voices in the study. two doors slam. only one closes.
18:34
the lights flicker. the gramophone skips on the same bar, twice.
18:40
found in the cellar. the cedar already knew.
* timestamps reconstructed by the houseguest. unreliable.