Being Led by A Blood Red Thread [Closed]

"That's not how it works," Shiki smiled. "Some murders take pleasure in leading on their victim. Letting them gain trust...letting them think they're completely and entirely safe...but they're not."

She lifted up her juice box and tilted it towards him grinning.

Marlin shrugged. "Yet most murders are smart enough to not hunt pray who can inflict damage onto them just as powerful." He said as he pulled out a book and began reading. Must study. He thought as he ate some more.

Shiki let off a light chuckle.

"You're no fun," she said as she resumed to sipping her juice. "You should read horror stories. Even if the prey can inflict just as much damage, the point is the prey doesn't know anything about it. That's what makes it all suspenseful. Will he find out? Will he die before he can?"

Marlin shrugged. "It all depends on who makes the first move." He said as he read the book. His eyes unmoving. He glanced a few times at Shiki and watched her. Well this is odd to say the least.

Shiki lowered her head and smiled.

"Who knows?" Shiki said softly.

At the same time, the janitor came by and looked at Marlin.

"Excuse me, sir," he said. "It's time for the study hall to close. I believe it's time for you to leave now."

Marlin nodded as he sat up. He grabbed his things and began walking out into the hall. He looked to the man. "I believe these are yours. Good day to you both." He said as he handed the man his keys. He then left the room not waiting on Shiki. He waited not for he was only asked to leave. He let out a yawn as he walked.

"Ah yes, thank you," the janitor said with a nod. "Off you go now, sir."

The janitor was paying no attention to Shiki but Shiki lifted her head to look at Marlin before he left.

"See you here tomorrow...friend."


***

The hallways, as per usual, were dark but not even with the light of the full moon could one see due to the clouds covering the sky. Marlin walked towards the northern stairs and could hear footprints. He could also hear the sound of something else. A voice.

"She exists..." a frantic voice was saying. "She exists...she exists..."

The clouds passed momentarily and the light of the moon reflected a shadow on the northern stairs. That of a figure and rope. There was the huddling of footsteps and then the sound of choking. As Marlin drew closer, something dropped from the stairs only to hang midway, the sound of a contracting rope twisting and swaying as something dangled from it.

The rope ended on the neck of a girl with red hair and two ponytails, her head limped sideways and her eyes dead. It was Zoe.

Marlin jumped back at the sight. "MY GOD HELP! HELP! HELP! STUDENT SUICIDE!" He screamed down the halls. He looked up at her, and was disgusted. He kept screaming in the halls.

This time not only had the professors and the medics come by, but so did the police. When Zoe had been examined, they had concluded she was already dead before she was hung. The police had taken Marlin aside for questioning in one of the classrooms, but they eventually left him alone. It was closing to eleven pm now.

"That poor girl," a voice came from the door. It was Shiki. She glanced at Marlin as she walked in. "Are you alright?"

Marlin nodded. "I shall be, but it would seem something is wrong. I heard voices when I found her. She was dead before that though." He said as he rubbed his chin. "I suspect foul play. It is time to hunt, and I know the best bait." He said looking at Shiki with sly eyes.

"Bait?" Shiki said as she tilted her head. "What do you mean? You're not actually going to catch a criminal by yourself are you?"

Marlin shook his head. "Of course not. I just was wondering, how well are at creating dolls?" He asked as he looked at the crime scene.

"Eglantine is pretty good," Shiki said. "And she has a lot of full scale ones. Why do you ask?"

Marlin looked at his outfit. "I require one custom life-size doll....who appears to be me." He said as he scanned the stairs. "Quite simply we must catch this person now before others suffer."

"Hmm..." Shiki said. "We could give that a try, but...how do you know the murderer will try and target you? We've only seen two victims and they're a guard and a student. It's random enough. Unless you've discovered some sort of pattern..."

Marlin shrugged. "My hypothesis is this. The killer is trying to get that ghost story alive. The all died after seeing the 'ghost' I use that term lightly. It's not much, but its all I got." He said as he walked over to her. "Less you have any information?"

"That would make sense..." Shiki said pondering for only a moment. "I have no idea why, but I'm guessing it would be worth a shot."

She turned to Marlin.

"I don't have any information myself," she said firmly. "But I can provide you with the doll. But I'll need you to lend me some clothes of yours so I can find a doll to fit the part. What's your plan exactly?"

Marlin led her to his room as he gathered the cloths needed. "Simple, lure the target, and attack." He said as he handed her the materials. "Know this....the target will be brought to justice." He said as he got a plan ready. Simple he would put the doll out side with a book, and position it so it looks as if it feel asleep. "Forgot my keys is what it should look like."

Shiki nodded and began to head out the door.

"I will make arrangements with Eglantine," Shiki said plainly. "But I doubt the killer will strike again tonight. We should wait for tomorrow."

She paused at the door a bit and turned around.

"I'll see you at the study hall," she said her usual phrase.

Marlin nodded as he went into his room to get ready for the trap. He sat down at his desk and read his book. Let the hunt begin.

The next day, Shiki was in the study hall late at night, just a few minutes before closing. She appeared to be alone save for the figure next to her who's head was resting on the table and who's head was covered with a cloth. She was sewing, as per usual, and she was waiting for Marlin, as per usual.

"I wonder if his plan will work..." she murmured to herself thoughtfully.

"No need to worry it will work." Marlin said seemingly coming out of nowhere. He took a seat next to her. "I do hope the bait will be ready, but I digress. How have you been since we last spoke?" He asked while reading a book.

Shiki pulled the cover off the figure sleeping next to her to reveal a porcelain white mannequin.

"The bait is ready," she said. "Anyways, I've been fine. I finished a new patchwork today."

She showed him a complex embroidered cloth. It was the picture of a woman looking into a mirror, but the reflection showed a skeleton instead of her face.

"And I am guessing you haven't been sleeping?" she said. "Perhaps I should drug you."

Marlin rolled his eyes. "Try if you will, but for now we must set the trap." Marlin sent five thin streams of black/gray (gravity/wind) dust at the doll. As he closed his book, and stood up, the doll did as well. He walked over to the door, and the doll followed. Marlin looked at the doll, and handed it the book.

With the mannequin set up, Marlin and Shiki were once again in the familiar set up they had seen the past nights after coming from study hall. Dark hallways barely lit by a cloud-hidden moon. The northern stairway empty and desolate. Only the two of them in the halls.

Shiki turned to Marlin.

"I assume this is where you're going to execute your plan?"

Marlin nodded. He walked the mannequin over and had it open the book. He then laid its head in its hand as if it fell asleep. He then retreated to a dark corner and covered his face. He hid in the shadows, and practically vanished. He became quit.....a ghost as he hid.

Shiki watched from a distance as someone came by the mannequin. It was Tac. She looked at the person in a hood, the mannequin, and looked surprised. However, she then hid it, her eyes still lowered down to ground.

"Do you still not believe in the ghost stories?" she asked the mannequin.