Black Box

[DoubleZeta]

So here's something I've written just to pass the time. Every time I get the urge to perform something "criminal" in nature I'd just go convert it into a story. Don't get your hopes up high, I'm not that good in writing stories.

link to the comments thread: http://otaku-streamers.com/community/showthread.php?7355-Reviews-Comments-Suggestions-for-Black-Box

So here it is:

Black Box

File 1: Case Study

"I remember some five years ago... Back then, I repeatedly hear and see this stuff about a serial killer on nearly all channels. I recall he was called Black Box?" said a young man wearing what seemed to be a uniform of a certain prestigious university.


He was comfortably seated behind a huge glass window that gives a very clear view of the whole campus, he sat in a cushioned oakwood chair in front of a well varnished table. Judging from these things, it was safe to say he was somewhat rich or on the middle class. The room was spacious for a dorm room after all, he had a fireplace and everything looked so cozy.

It was as if the room was drawing you closer to lulling sleep. This was of no surprise, it was a cold winter night and the air was freezing. What more better can it get if you had such a nice room and a well cushioned bed? He was no slouch either, he was fair in built, tall but not that much and he has a nice shape to his face, dark brown eyes that seem like they pierce through the book he was currently clutching in his hands.


"Black box, for he was such a mystery. Some say he isn't human, ain't that right?" said a girl of the same age who had been there all that time.


On observation, she was a classmate and they seem to be working on an assignment perhaps, a thesis, a project? But as few as the hints may be, she seem to fancy him. She had been sticking beside him like glue for who knows when by now!? And her playing around with his dark brown hair was an obvious give away. Yet he seemed to ignore the current advances.

One might wonder though, is he simply dense or is he just keeping it in? What was there not to like about her? Or maybe he's just doing work on a professional level? An activity is an activity, anything else falls under naught, might be the right way to describe his current state of mind.


"The first known victim was a classmate, somewhere back in that person's High School days" he explained, taking a short glimpse at her for the moment.


He had his eyes fixated on her gentle black ones and a shudder came from her upon hearing what he said, "Geez Henry! I told you not to tell me about that when we're alone! It sends a chill up my spine..."

She moved away from him in annoyance and just sat on the couch opposite the table they were earlier at. She was just as tall as he was, long slender legs, fair complexion, long silky black hair, pinkish lips and fine grace befitting of someone in their stature. She might well be a school celebrity and she didn't look dumb with it.


"I know about that story and I don't want to remember it."


Closing the book he was reading with a loud thud he raised his legs up on the table and started rocking his chair, "I don't see any reason to be afraid? The story talks about two High School students, a male and a female. We're nowhere close to the given criteria and besides, you have me here with you. I wouldn't leave you alone or let anyone else do you harm. We've been friends for like... more than thirteen years now?"


"Still not that much reassuring..." she pouted over it, not because she doesn't believe him but because he said something. And she murmured under her breath, "Just friends after all those years..."


Standing up from his seat he took up her bag and handed it over to her. They seemed to have called it a day, after all it was getting dark and the female dormitories weren't that close. He looked weary, something wasn't right and no one else notices it just yet.


"You know Anne... I've got this feeling that Black Box had been somewhere close for a very long time now... I don't know what to do... I feel perplexed" he told her truthfully, it had been bothering him for some time now.


"Wha... What are you saying!? Seriously..." she sunk deeper into the couch upon hearing this. This wasn't a bad joke anymore, she's already that terrified just thinking about it.


"Don't think about things like that... AAAAHHHH I'm going back! I'll come over next time when you're not in the mood scaring the wits out of me!"


With this she stormed out the room, Henry followed her down to the elevator just at the end of the hallway. They were on the sixth floor of the male dormitories to begin with and it would be a long way down the stairs, it was common sense to take the elevator. They knew well that it's quite late, no one else would be using that elevator, so the odds of her meeting someone else on her way down and out the place was minimal.


The elevator was old, so was the building. It had that darkish tint on it's color by now, as a testament to how time enduring the institution was. No matter how you clean it, there would be no more way to return that place's original luster but all the more adds to it's grandeur.


Anne hopped on inside the elevator with a cheerful smile on her face as she waved goodbye to Henry. He waved back cheerfully too and as the elevator slowly closed it's dual doors, Anne managed to gather her courage up till now and said to him, "I love you..."


This etched a defining smile on Henry's face and before the elevator door fully closes he replied, "He wasn't super natural by the least, They we're human too."


And as the elevator doors came to a complete shut a loud scream can be heard from inside the elevator and the gruesome sound of flesh and bone being ground to minute pieces could be heard.


It was a haunting scream, one that could etch it's entirety into your mind for years... No... a lifetime, but as horrific as the scene may be... Somewhere in the darkness of that place, a content smile can be traced from the face of one person... and they were glad, the nightmare is happening once more...

[DoubleZeta]

Second part of the story.

File 2: Those outside the box

"Is it open yet?" A man asked nervously, his hands trembling as he awaited the cops to open the door to the elevator.


"No sir, please get out of the place! You're disturbing us!"


"You're telling me to rest easy when I know that my daughter is inside that damned contraption!?"


One can see the flame in his eyes, it was unacceptable... to lose a daughter like that. He grasped his fists and landed a straight to the officer's face. The surrounding people gathered around to stop him from his rage. Like a demon bereft of sanity, the man thrashed around the place... trying to break free from the clutches of the people restraining him from further dealing pain. It was such a big commotion, though strangely enough... no one was paying attention, except those who are directly related to the victim.


"Sir, stop that! Just leave the area... you can't do anything in here!"


Said the crowd in chorus, as the one who got slugged on the face stood up. He walked away without saying anything, he knew how hard it was to accept something like this. Knowing that they might never even see a recognizable corpse inside that doomed elevator. Anne's father came into senses, he knelt down on the first floor of the dormitory building where the crime was situated. He was weeping, weeping so much that it might flood. He had his face covered, trying to subdue what little tears there was left to churn out.


Before going to the place, the news had already reached their ears. The news of which, is that their daughter is dead... truly dead. In a sense that it was Black Box, the suspected murderer and so... all hope was lost. The bitter truth of bankruptcy and now this, was too much to bear. He kept on mourning... mourning and mourning until he eventually passed out from all the pressure. No one wanted to stop him, it would be unfair...


"Call the medics, tell them to take him somewhere else"


Then came a woman, instructing the other police officers to take the father of the victim somewhere else. She was wearing a brown long coat and was carrying a clipboard. She was a sore thumb sticking out of the crowd, there was this dignified air around her. Perhaps she was the one in charge of the case. Waving at the guy who was punched earlier, she called him over.


"Hey kid, I'd like you to relay this message to everyone in the station."


And he went closer towards her, his black eyes taking contact with that sky blue pair of hers as she took him by the nape and whispered to his ear.


"Tell them that this has nothing to do with the Black Box."


He felt an unearthly shudder up his spine. He backed up as soon as he heard this and felt like he was insulted. His eyes felt disgust, perhaps it was that strong sense of justice welling up inside him that told him to refuse. He was not sent there cover up the truth, his work was to serve the people and the people ought to know that the Black Box had returned. Albeit being unsure of this himself he shook his head in defiance and mustered up the courage to speak back.


"I can not tolerate that... detective..."


He was cut short when people started making a fuss around the elevator. It seems that the door was finally cracked open and they saw something horrible. His jaw nearly dropped to the floor on what he just witnessed, the wind blew fiercely through his black gelled-back hair and he was lost for words. The whole of the interior was sprayed with blood and bits of flesh. One can clearly see the intestines sprawled all over the place like they were hurriedly pulled out from the body. This was clearly what you'd expect, the sound that came inside the elevator last night resembled that of an automatic saw. It might be that the intestines we're somewhat pulled out after the blades cut through the flesh. It might be a set of dull blades, since if it was sharp then the intestines would've been cut to pieces. The wound shows that it took quite some time before the blades successfully sunk in.


A look of terror and anguish can be seen on the young lady's face. He stared at it the whole time after averting his eyes from the gore. She seemed to have stayed alive for a few while before she finally hit the sack. A black and white flashback entered through his mind, it was just his imagination but he could feel the terror in it. There on that same exact elevator, was she leaning on the blood stained wall. Mortified by her own flesh, blood and inner organs splattered all around the place without anyone to help her. He closed his eyes and gave a silent prayer for the deceased. Everyone else did so, aside from the woman with short blonde hair who ordered him to restrain the flow of information. Without ado, she carefully entered the place and started examining the chainsaws that had some of the intestines clogged up in them.


"How can you calmly go in there without even paying respect!? You ordered me to tell the others at the station to cover up this case? This isn't Black Box's doing? Then who!? Who the hell in this world would do such a crime!?... As I've researched along these lines, I didn't get any negative comments about her. The girl has no major enemies who would even want to kill her like this!!!"


In a fit of rage he grabbed her by the collar of her clothes and spout those words at her. She simply shrugged him off and gave him a solid slap to the face.


"They call you a better detective than me, but this attitude of yours simply shows that you are but a rookie! Leave this place, you're just a hindrance."


"Oh I will miss Sharon, I will... without you telling me to do so!"


And he left the place, leaving everyone more dumbfounded and perplexed as to what was happening. It seems he just lost his nerve upon the obvious coldness of Detective Sharon. Everyone returned to work as soon as the commotion ended, but there were murmurings around the work area. It seems no one really liked her at all, like she was really the thorn in their paws.


"Can you believe this woman? Frederick was originally the one assigned to this case and she's goes butting in begging to take over. She's just the stowaway and yet she bosses people around like this..."


She ignored some of the words she heard from those around her. There was this invisible force driving her to solve this case, something maybe that Detective Frederick lacked but for that he compensates with his strong sense of justice. She was lost in her own little world, the thought of other people escaped her and it seemed like she was possessed... like she was being ushered by someone to break the doors blocking the secret behind the Black Box. She wasn't inside it... she was just an outsider too... she was never meant to learn the truth about that accursed Box.


As the events started to heat up in the vicinity, Detective Frederick... still is heartbroken from that earlier show of heartlessness decided to go check up on the other person involved in the case. That young man was Henry, Henry Torrington... the victim's, Anne Brondel's childhood friend and the sole witness to the crime. He was in a room in the university infirmary, earlier that morning he was still recovering from the shock. This time, it was about three in the afternoon and the infirmary room was filled to the brim with their other forty five classmates. They we're a block section, so no irregular student was present and upon entering the room he saw Henry tell them. With fist raised up in the air like a motivational speaker, he told the lot of them.


"So why do they want to frighten us!? If this killer is Black Box, why should we be afraid? I will exact justice for Anne! I promise you people that! This Black Box joke has gone far enough, it's like he never fails at any murder he does!?"


"If it's Black Box we're talking about, then he has no record of failed murders... Never mind me, I do not wish to discourage you kids, but rest assured we'll be doing our best to stop him."


Butted in Frederick and the whole lot stared at him with mixed emotions. Henry was unmoved by his words, he had doubt in his eyes and wanted to blame them though he knows they are not to blame. Henry stood down from his bed and sat back as he tried to keep his hatred all to himself. Frederick felt that it still wasn't the time to interview him about what he knows. With a weary smile on his face, he left the room and as he was clear from the place... Henry stood up once again and told them.


"That's where they're wrong! I've researched about it, Black Box has some failed murders. We shouldn't lose hope, we can pull through this... and I will do this for Anne!"


As these things happened, everything was set into motion... and the unquenchable thirst for blood of the Black Box was awakened once more... for if there was hope... surely there was despair... and amongst them was Black Box. As they sat brooding in the darkest corners of that scene, unbeknown to them they we're already inside the box, and those who we're outside of it are clueless... and they will never even notice the time passing them. The time was closing in, this nightmare was beginning and there was no escape for them.

[DoubleZeta]

The third part gives us a little background of The Black Box.

File 3: Origins

"Listen Frederick, you are to be a detective some day. I know of your ambition, but once you become one... I only ask you to do one thing..."


A streak of lightning etched itself on the gloomy skies one night, about a year or so ago. The storm was ripping off trees and the wind was howling like a rabid wolf chasing it's prey. Inside a basement office of one peculiar middle aged man. Frederick, who still wasn't a detective yet, was having a serious conversation with the man known to be "The Observer".


He sat on his stately pine wood chair, as he was pinning up pictures to a board placed on his table. Frederick sat intently on the chair opposite this man, it seems that they have a connection with each other. The office, on observation was windowless and the only source of light was that one flickering electronic lamp atop them. The wall was lined with pictures, underneath them were numbers and their names. One noticeable name and number was Lerie Douglas, above that name was the serial number 814CK-80X-X. He was the original Black Box, the man who started it all four years ago.


The man's eyes were dry and sad, it was like he was lifeless. He was also thin, his face and his skin looked pale. Somewhat like he was already dead but still walking and his sigh could be felt all around the room. Like it was some heavy burden, some sort of disease that was keeping him worried.


"Never confront the Black Box. Do not accept any case related to them and lastly, do not try to capture them or stop them."


"But why Uncle Ross? Isn't it a detective's job to put an end to a criminal's lunacy? The Black Box is a criminal and so he was stopped, the other copy cat murderers we're also caught. There's no point in letting the copy cats continue."


Standing up from his seat, his Uncle went on towards the picture of Lerie Douglas. Frederick followed his eyes closely and a damp mist seeped through the walls of the basement. Like it was a warning, that one should never question the authenticity of the Black Box. Uncle Ross pointed over to the very first victim of the second Black Box. Somehow, this puzzled Frederick, why should they start with the first copy cat murderer?


"The woman in this picture was supposedly the last target of the original Black Box, but Lerie Douglas was thwarted by a man by the name of James Ford."


He pointed over to the picture of the said detective, of which Frederick remembered as the one who approached his Uncle for help in solving the case with Black Box. He came one night, four years ago seeking help from the then retired Uncle of his. Some might wonder as why such a detective would suddenly quit his work? Uncle Ross quit as soon as the first case of the Black Box was known to public, following that he decided to collect evidence and clues as to why the Black Box is committing those murders. He might be the first to get the pattern after all those murders, but he never wished to solved the case. He just observed, gave hints... but never meddled in the affair, giving him the title of "The Observer".


"Mr. Ford... I recall he was the one who came asking help from you four years ago."


"He happened to be the second Black Box and at the end of his case he was also killed off. Similar to Lerie Douglas, there was already a serial number etched somewhere on his body. 814CK-80X-XX, similar to the original of whom we saw the serial number 814CK-80X-X."


Frederick started to wonder, it was easy to understand that 814CK-80X could be Black Box if you read it in text. Though, what was the point of putting the X in the end when the numbering system of the serial murders go from one till the last victim. Returning back to the earlier victim, the woman who was supposed to be the last victim of the original Black Box had a special case. She was a fellow detective of James Ford, both stationed at the same police outpost and was the first one to take hold of the Black Box cases.


"She's the one who went cuckoo from all the stress right? Detective Sherry Fenlocke was it, the one with three serials?"


It was true, underneath the blonde detective's picture was three serial numbers. 814CK-80X-1, 814CK-80X-45 and 814CK-80X-X1 respectively. All serials were welded on to the iron gilder that was dropped on her by the Black Box. There was nothing left, but a bloody pulp after that happened and as soon as the case finished, James Ford vanished without a trace.


Lerie Douglas, the original Black Box was known to be a good engineer. Most of the first generation murders we're done by specialized contraptions he had created. The second Black Box, James Ford was a detective and we're most likely knowledgeable on methods used by criminals. The second generation murders, brought people to a very bizarre roller coaster ride. Aside from the hard traceability of the clues due to Ford being a detective, they witnessed the similar methods of killing by the use of machinery.


On interview with old friends, loved ones and family of James Ford... he never had any talent with machinery, nor did he took any studies related to them. The same pattern was seen when the second generation murders ended. The third Black Box, was a young teenage boy, a computer hacker and the targets this time we're also hackers. The third one showed a more terrifying display, since the first two needed to manually operate or at least turn on the machineries to be used... but he used these things remotely using a remote signal from various computers.


One can say that they could not be called as copy cats. Some have resorted to believe that the Black Box was demonic, that they we're part of a cult, some even go as far to say that the Black Box was there to purify mankind. No one knows, but there was no point in continuing the murders for those who become the next Black Box. Why don't they stray away from their pattern? Why aren't there other people involved even if they witness the murders? Why aren't they killed afterwards?


There are several questions that plagued the minds of countless individuals and Frederick wasn't an exception. Now, he finally had the chance to take a closer look of Anne Brondel's corpse and of the crime scene. He gently approached the door of the elevator, no one else was there. He was conducting his investigation while everyone else we're busy with Detective Sharon's demands. He wanted to make sure if this was Black Box's doing... From the door, the control panel, the chainsaws and the corpse. He searched thoroughly for the serial number, expecting to see the serial number 814CK-80X-XXXX1.


He searched with fervor, but he dared not touch the body or anything else. It would destroy the evidence if he did that, but the serial number was nowhere to be found. He took one last glimpse at the poor victim's face. He held his heart, feeling mixed emotions on what he was witnessing.


"Who'd do such a thing if it wasn't the Black Box..."


As he was thinking his head off trying to look for the place where the serial number was, to prove that this was Black Box's doing. Detective Sharon was ready to call the media to tell that some blood thirsty killer was on the loose. Making the poor lost sheep roam around believing they are safe, but everyone's attention was caught when he started shouting.


"Call all of the victim's classmates! All of them!!!


He was fuming like a volcano and the other police officers zoomed past the crowds of media surrounding them and went on to call over the students related to the victim. The media started to ignore the barricade and tried to approach Frederick for an interview of what he meant with calling all of them. He stood there waiting, ignoring the questions until it was the right time to reveal it.


The whole place was filled by noise, they we're feeling uneasy. The parents of the other students arrived to the scene upon witnessing his call on television. They we're worried of course, if this was just any normal murder they'll be relieved, but his face, Frederick's face was filled with gloom. It was though he saw another corpse somewhere else, of which whose condition was worse than this one. The children soon came to the area, weary mothers hugged their sons, their daughters as Frederick turned around to tell them of the news.


Sharon approached him and tried to convince him to stop this already, but he shoved her off like how she did to him and continued either way. He called on one of the officers and asked for a flashlight, then he took his cellphone and approached the elevator. Knelt down and pointed a light underneath the small gap between the elevator and the floor. The elevator didn't come to a close stop and there was a small gap between the floor and the underside of the elevator box. He stuck his arm inside with the cellphone on it and started pressing buttons.


"What are you doing you rookie!? Are you nuts?"


"I know what I'm doing!"


He shouted back at her and pressed a few more buttons on his cellphone once he drew it out. After a few seconds of browsing through the pictures he took, his eyes widened and his jaw nearly dropped... He showed the picture to all of them present there and as soon as they saw it... they knew he was not joking.


"814CK-80X-XXXX1, this is what we are looking for. I'd warn those who are here, we need to keep steady guard on all of you. This is for your own good, we aren't simply dealing with a crazed murderer here... we're talking about the Black Box."


Detective Sharon was silenced as soon as she saw this, there seemed to be something with her silence. It was like she's getting excited; It was Black Box, it really is The Black Box they're dealing with. Cries of despair and hopelessness filled the air, and there was a stench of blood everywhere... Perhaps, it was a premonition? That from the darkness that fills the heart of one student there, lies the monster that continues to live after being killed? And Frederick took action at once, knowing that it was Black Box. Took a screw driver and disassembled one of the chainsaws inside the elevator and saw what he expected to see...

[DoubleZeta]

Fourth part introduces some new people... to kill. XD

File 4: The lost herd of sheep

"Why were you with her that night?"


"I told you for the last time that we we're doing our thesis!!! For how many times do I have to tell you this!? Why would I kill her, why not look for someone who'll have an ulterior motive for doing such!? For goodness' sake!!! I've been with her since we we're children!


That was the last that Henry muttered and he would not answer anymore. Frederick could not help but shake his head in denial, this was absolutely wrong to begin with... Sharon was forcing him to crack up under pressure. The light slowly flickered, blinking like a person's life on the brink of death and the room was filled momentarily by silence and pitch black darkness. Sharon left the room, shutting the door in as she left the completely empty room.


"That was uncalled for... sorry about that kid, she's being unreasonable for unexplained reasons."


"Wasn't she always like that? I don't understand why you keep up with that..."


Frederick hit the light switch and shook his head once again. He was telling him that even if she was unreasonable, it was still just a procedure. He shouldn't have taken it personally, he was the one in line for interrogation to begin with.


"That set aside, haven't you wondered why this happened to her? I've asked around and all I hear are good comments, she doesn't have anyone who dislikes her blatantly. We're not taking this somewhere else, but if we presume that the killer wasn't Black Box... who might have killed her? Why do it in such a brutal way?"


"She'll pay all right... I won't let this slip past."


With this said and done, Henry took off from his chair carrying his bag. He was surely burning in anger, everyone knows this took quite a toll on him... just after things we're getting good for them. Frederick watched as he vanished slowly, his silhouette was the last thing he saw behind. As the door closed he got a sigh of relief, this was surely going somewhere. If he could wish for a few favors, the case wouldn't be such handicapped if detective Sharon weren't there.


Passing corridor after corridor, Henry pulled no stops whatsoever and headed on for the university library located on the left wing of the main building. He was somewhere in the middle lane, the university main building was T-shaped. heading on for the entrance to proceed on to his right as soon as he reached the intersection. That was the way he had in mind and the view outside was so nice that his frustrations over detective Sharon all seemed to have magically vanished away.


"Silly woman... she calls herself a detective yet she can't read the situation. She should have studied psychology first so that she does not bother people."


He ascended up the carpeted staircase leading to the left wing's second floor. Straight on ahead, we can see a white-washed wall filled with paintings in between wooden doors of the finest kind of wood. All we're peaceful and calm, but that isn't what's supposed to be happening... Black Box is still at loose...


"Black Box can be anywhere right now..."


Ignoring the silence, he pushed on towards the hallway to enter through the grand dual doors of the library. Inside one can see the glamor of such a prestigious school, not only were the walls of the corridors of grand stature, the library was no slouch too. It was a huge spacious room, with the front half bombarded with grand and heavy tapestry, a warm cozy carpeted floor and upon it's wide open lobby are expensive sofas meant for the students to sit on when they're taking their toll of reads.


The back part housed the numerous shelves of books, all of which are neatly organized, new books come in daily and old books take homage, free from harm in this well ventilated library. The shelves we're very big indeed, They reach far up to the ceiling five stories high to be precise. On each level there are staircases and balconies to hold the people and serve as pathways to the knowledge they search for. It was amazing that these shelves had been there for more than four hundred years, since then they we're the backbone holding together that stored knowledge of generations and generations of students that had studied in that educational institute... and now, that knowledge was to be tested... the students of this place, a small group of them are to be prey for the most feared and elusive of all madmen... that being the Black Box, whose traces of mortality seemed to have ceased ever since that faithful day.


Henry walked around for a while, but almost immediately someone called him over.


"Hey Henry, over here!"


A guy wearing square-rimmed spectacles was calling him, they we're near the huge glass-pane windows seated comfortably on the couches. It seems he wasn't alone for there was also a female classmate seated just opposite him. Henry took notice and greeted back while obliging to join them in their discussions.


"Finished with the interrogations?"


"Yeah, that woman was scrutinizing me like I'm some low-life criminal."


There were silent looks from each other and then they both smiled. The smile eventually broke out into laughter and they were filling the whole place with noise. The girl snapped some nerves and silenced them both with a sharp stare.


"Still, it's not an excuse to laugh inside the library. You are second years, act more like your age."


"Oh... Astrid, you we're there? Sorry I didn't notice you..."


Apologized Henry, but all it did was annoy her. She lowered the book she was reading as she gazed at him from head to toe. Sharp blue eyes filled with pride, a brunette with long wavy hair, the indisputable honor student with good looks to boot. She was the no non-sense type of lady, refined in manner and was always wearing that sly look on her face. She was one dangerous woman, maybe a femme fatale when no one is looking. Even though she had several traits superior to Anne, she was the one who fell on deaf ears with Henry. Yes, both we're kind and gentle, both have nice curves, fair complexion and a very desirable personality with Astrid superior in athletics and academics than Anne. She was also taller than her, but why does Henry ignore her more than Anne? Perhaps it was because of her wearing glasses, Henry didn't fancy women with glasses after all.


One could notice that he isn't that really good with the other guy either. Ruther was also wearing glasses, though not because his eyesight is bad... he just says that it makes him look good and a little bit smarter. Though this guy wasn't dumb, he was the next smartest in class second to Henry and third to Astrid. So now it was a gathering of the class' top three students. Though if one is to be asked, it's a gathering of the top three students of which section was Black Box' target.


"I heard about Anne, my condolences."


Replied Astrid to Henry's sarcastic remark earlier, she managed to spout it out cold on him. Though normally he'd get angry on such a remark, but it was his fault she replied this way. Ruther propped his glasses as he broke the ice keeping the two at bay. It seems like Astrid just can't make a move about stuff, the aura was tense to begin with.


"So Henry, any hints whatsoever if we are to survive? It's not like we're in a horror movie, like some chosen sacrifices for a diabolic cult right?"


"Black Box is just human, if they really are one of us then we'd just have to filter them real good. Not to mention we are psychology students, it's impossible that none of us can crack other people's secret."


Astrid's eyebrows raised on what she heard, she got the urge to tell them that they might be crappy psychology students if they didn't notice that not just one of them are keeping secrets. She knows plenty of stuff, most of their classmates have grudges and secrets that none of them know even if they are close. She intended to break the conversation, pressing matters were at hand and Henry isn't needed there right now.


"If you wish to capture a criminal, then you better work hard instead of chit-chatting with us. Am I not right? Take that detective for example..."


The last five words she uttered got instant negative reactions and she dully corrected her statement.


"That male one, not the female one. You should be going now and looking for clues too, since that way you can avenge Anne, because I know you want to do it so badly."


"That goes without saying. I'm taking my leave."


As Henry left the place, Astrid grinned and licked her upper lips in a sensual way. This completely engrossed Ruther as he commented on her actions with utmost disgust.


"Your obsession over him can be considered an illness by it's current level. Why are you such a spoiled and greedy little lady?


"I don't see anything bad desiring someone when you know you'll be dead sooner or later? Now that Anne is dead, I have him all for myself..."


A creepy smile can be traceable in her visage as she slowly chanted some sort of incantation. It wasn't really an incantation, maybe a line from a children's television show with refitted words to match her purpose. Ruther was dumb founded by her actions yet he didn't let her bother him as he headed on out too.


"I wish, I wish with all my heart... that if ever all of us were to die... let Henry and I be the last."


The feelings stemming out from Ruther was eerie, she's more like Black Box herself. If only that was true, he'd have a reason to kill her and make finish all this ruckus. Then as he was about to open the dual doors to exit the place, a loud yell could be heard and people gathered around him who was yelling. Ruther peered through the door and there on the hallway outside the library was one of their classmates warning people about a second victim.


Time felt like it was about to crawl into a halt as Henry rushed on over to the school's High School department. He was there when he got killed... the second victim, in the High School science laboratory as he was fixing something. The guy who died was Leif, Leif Olson one of their lesser known classmates. Once again the detectives and the cops we're there, but it was a different set-up now. There inside the huge room filled with laboratory equipment were two High School girls, they were both held in a tight embrace. The younger one looked like a first year student whilst the other is a third year. They were both shivering in fear, lips quivering as Sharon squished information out of them like they were just sponges.


"So you two were on the scene of the murder? Tell me in full bloody detail what you saw earlier"


She wasn't talking casually, it's like she was in a hype to figure out who did this. The first year was literally turned mute by what she had witnessed. It's not everyday you get to see a modified lab apparatus drive a 4 inch metallic stake through someone's head and the whole ordeal was traumatic. The third year took action to answer, though even if she was pretty much shaken by what they had witnessed, shot blank right in front of their eyes. The answers she had given Sharon we're quite satisfactory, but there are quite a few things she couldn't keep comfortable with.


As the witness reports go, the device that was used to murder Olson came in recently. It was just bought some weeks ago the manufacturer name seemed suspicious and unlike Frederick... she wouldn't take any chances that Black Box was just one in the list. The results of the interrogations on the psychology students paved nugatory. Sharon wants to explore the possibilities that the equipment used are produced by some sort of company that inquire the use of Black Box' serial numbers. The current case involves a pre-engraved serial number, whether it was coincidence or not was to be debated.


"Hey rookie, go waste your time looking for the culprit here. I'd be checking out some few things that you don't even want to explore... you gutless moron"


"Her comments become more and more annoying ain't it detective?


As Sharon left then came in Henry, Frederick easily caught on up with his greeting. He can't help but just laugh at what was revealed. They stood quite close to the body, Olson was kneeling down in front of the table where the apparatus lay before the cops came. It seems they've already separated him from the device that had caused his demise. There we're hollow holes that lined the four inch stake that was driven past through his brain. These holes were half filled with blood right now and it seems that they we're for some other purpose they have yet to know.


"On interrogations, we managed to know that this guy was some sort of stalker to Ms. Brondel. Did you know this?"


"Nope, not a clue sir. I rarely meet him... this guy, what's his name?"


"Wow, I've never seen someone die so horribly..."


"Detective, Anne was to be pitied more than this guy... Given that he's a stalker, further more it was Anne he was stalking."


"No, it's not that... Dying under Black Box' hand was enough, but dying without people actually not remembering even your name... is just sad... really sad."


Then the first year witness started screaming like crazy, it filled the whole of the damp and dim-lit room. Her eyes filled with indescribable horror and was held down by the cops to prevent her from hurting herself. It was as if the shock just came in through her and she was acting wildly about it. The other girl seemed worried, so was everyone. In that brief moment, Henry took a glimpse of someone standing by the entrance to the lab. It was Astrid and she had been peeking behind the door ever since, but once his eyes took contact with her... she left. There was malice in her eyes he knew that, her face had a huge grin, she was scheming something. The poor first year struggled hard to free herself and as she did, ominous words came from her mouth. Everyone felt terrified, it was as if she was narrating what would happen next.


"Give me... give me a knife... knife... knife..."


She thrashed around more, hitting her head to the closest thing that she deemed as hard that it could kill her.


"It's my fault... my fault... MY FAULT!!! They told me to call him here! I was told to bring him here... I told him the microscopes were broken... yes... YES, haha... just like what they told me to do."


"What did you say kid!? Tell us more!!!"


Henry felt that this was going somewhere, the cops tried hard to keep her bound, but her fear seems to be pushing her through her limits. Frederick took out notes as he listened, she was surely an unlikely accomplice. The third year girl closed her eyes and looked away, it was so pitiful... how she thrashed around spouting things like that.


"Haha... he's dead alright... pierced through the head. I could still remember his screams, they we're... EPIC. I wonder how someone would react to an operation without anesthesia? Yes, that's certainly... FUN. Haha, fascinating, fascinating... guess what I have in my pocket?"


It didn't make sense now, she was starting to spout things not related to what or who ordered her to call Leif Olson. Henry reached into her pocket and they saw some contraption that looked like a remote. He pressed the green button on it, the one directly below the red one. Everyone was surprised, the metallic stake retracted inside. This was surely the remote used to trigger the device and as soon as they all felt the horror of the event. She started laughing like crazy, the first year girl and they were forced to sedate her in order for these to stop.


Leif's figure came into view, kneeling in front of the device while the stake slowly drove it's way past through his head. The two high school girls stared in horror on what they have witnessed, with Leif spouting curse words as he felt his slow imminent death. Blood gushing out from the wound that was slowly being pushed in him. Then the girls faces, the third year in genuine horror... the first year, slightly mortified but it was all a dull surprise. She was numb for some reasons and why would she follow what Black Box ordered?


The thought spiraled through Frederick's mind and as he re-imagined the scene he felt bad. So Black Box had the capacity to make people trigger his rigged machines, but how? No one would've wanted to help a psychopath like him and yet this sweet innocent looking girl obliged to be the trigger? As all of this was happening... surely they we're high in euphoria. A huge smile on their face, skipping away from the scene with an ominous scheme for next day. Black Box might not be a person in their case, was it safe to assume that it was the darkness in their hearts that have caused all of this?


And as the clock ticked continuously, never-ending... in a room with a grandfather's clock, whose pendulum swung left and right. Someone was busy typing on a netbook, the room covered in darkness, lights off and a heavy breathing can be heard.


"814CK-80X-XXXX2... Name: Leif Olson... Details: Death by having a metallic stake slowly being driven through his brain... 814CK-80X-XXXX3... Name: ..."