Everyone mingled around the Ballroom, picking at the hors d'ouvres that weren't near the rigid corpse of Hua Xiong. With no servants and no one in the mood to cook, these leftovers had became quite the depressing dinner.
Night had fallen and everyone became on edge. The guests dispersed and decided to go explore this creepy palace. Dong Zhuo stomped over into the Lounge and fell flat into a bean-bag chair. He was fast asleep and snoring loudly.
Hours later, Diao Chan silently slinked down a hallway towards the sealed entrance. The main exit was the Hall-- a large room that had coat racks in elongated "O" shapes flanking both sides and huge double door on the north wall. From the other side, this door was barricaded at Dong Zhuo's request, only he knew the password to yell to give the awaiting retainers the all clear.
Diao Chan ran her gloved hand along the various coats still hanging. Hundreds of jackets, coats, cloaks, mackinaws, shaws, suits, and slickers were still here after many of the guests bolted in a mad rush.
She lit the candles on the mantle over the dormant fireplace and stared at the coat rack line on the eastern wall. Diao Chan remembered that Li Ru had redesigned this room with what he thought was a brilliant breakthrough. With so many coats, it would be difficult to locate your own coat, especially with the short-tempered Dong Zhuo, it could mean death. So, by using large gears made of stone, he created an automated pulley system that would parade the coats around in tight circular tracks by each wall. One pull on the tassel by the entrance and the racks would begin to rotate.
Diao Chan could feel some cold air rushing from the small rectangular openings on the north wall where the various metal cables and tension wires disappeared into the unseen mechanism. Maybe she could squeeze through here and escape?
She ducked in closer to get a better view when suddenly she was struck from behind! CLUNK! "Ooomph!" She was hit in the back of the head by one of the dusty old logs from the fireplace!
Stunned, Diao Chan wobbled to her feet and stumbled towards the entrance. Then the candles were dashed out and all she could see was darkness.
When her vision adjusted to the dark, she found she was bound in the middle of the the coat rack on the western wall. Her head was throbbing and her mind was groggy from the concussion. Someone had tied her arms with some sleeves of a fur coat and to an itchy wool jacket. Her legs were tangled in a black cloak and assorted coats in the parallel rack aisle.
TA-CHINK! The tassel was pulled by a shadowy figure and the creaking hum of giant stone cylinders and gears began to crudely tug on the pulley system.
Diao Chan was stretched out, being pulled in two directions. The great machination shuddered and pulled as it met this resistance. The tension was building. Diao Chan twisted and squirmed trying to get free, her left arm started to dislocate. Something had to give...
"aaaaaAAAAAIIIIIEEEEeeeee!" Diao Chan let out a blood-curdling scream as finally a massive stone gear splintered its axel log and plummeted down. This snap of force whipped the wires taught.
SCHLRRPPP!
Diao Chan was torn in half! Her upper torso flung into the air with a handful of coats, rocketing on a burst of blood as her lower half was slung against the floor and rolled towards the exit. The killer simply pulled the tassel again to shut down the machine and snuck off into the night.
Morning came and everyone gathered around the terrible sight in the Hall. The screams and the loud concussions of the machine breaking had summoned everyone's attention, but they all thought it best to stay put until first light unless they too risk becoming a victim. Now in the morning light they could see...
Dong Zhuo knelt down by Diao Chan's upper half. "NO! My Diao Chan!"
The mad tyrant scrambled to his feet and pointed a fat finger at the crowd. "One of you dies NOW!" he screamed.
