MURDER!
Chapter 7: Mr. Body
A/N: I must warn everyone that this is where things might become a bit creepy. I hope you all enjoy this chapter! Don't forget, REVIEWS are greatly appreciated!
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN HEY ARNOLD!
xXx
"So you're saying you think Curly has finally flipped his lid?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying, Helga!" Rhonda grasped Helga's shoulders.
Helga thought for a moment, "I could have sworn it was Sid."
"Sid? Why on earth would it be Sid?"
Helga sighed, "Because he acts on impulse from time to time. Look, Sid confessed to me before he went missing that no matter what it took, he would have you! And all of this nonsense seems to have started after he left with Eugene."
"Sid is a coward, Helga. A coward! He'd break down before even lifting a finger!"
"But not Curly?"
"Exactly."
"Rhonda, what if it's neither of them? The way the guys are attacking Iggy, you'd think he is the one who has something to do with the blood and the pho –."
"Shh! Quiet!" Rhonda placed her hand on Helga's lips before nodding in the direction of the boys.
Gerald and the boys approached the girls.
"We need to split up."
"What do you mean?" Phoebe asked.
"We need to find the others so we can figure this thing out."
"I-I'm with you, man. I – ."
"Iggy, shut up!" Gerald said. "You're staying here with Nadine and Sheena."
"What?! But I – ."
"Arnold, you go with Helga and Lila. Park, Stinky. Go with Rhonda. I'll go with Phoebe."
"Good plan," Arnold clapped Gerald on the back.
"I know," Gerald started before grabbing a candle that had fallen to the floor. "That's why I came up with it."
xXx
"So far, Curly, Sid, Eugene, and Harold are missing," Park stated.
Rhonda's heart was aching. She spoke up, "We need to find Harold. This is his house and he was the last person to go missing."
"I can agree with that, I s'pose."
"Where was he last seen?" Park asked.
Rhonda rolled her eyes, "The living room, of course. We were all there before we heard Nadine screaming from the kitchen."
"But if Harold wasn't with us in the kitchen," Stinky started, "where in blazes did he run off to?"
Park and Rhonda pondered.
"Oh!" Rhonda exclaimed. "He told me he was going to see if he could get the lights to go on again!"
"Really?" Stinky scratched his head. "Hot dang, how do ya think he'll do that?"
"The only way I can think to do that would be to check the fuses," Park stated. "Everyone knows this house is ancient. Stinky, we were there when the lights were flickering at the beginning of the night. There's a possibility that one of the fuses was about to give out. I bet Harold knew it, too."
Rhonda looked at Park confused. Park noticed.
"This means we are going to have to find the breaker box. In a house as old as this, it would most likely be found in a basement."
"The cellar!" Rhonda exclaimed.
"Exactly! Let's go."
xXx
"I'd really like to get to the bottom of this. If it's not Iggy, then who is the one pulling this crap?"
"Gerald, what exactly happened that makes you suspect Iggy in the first place?"
"He and Harold were arguing about Rhonda before you and the girls showed up."
Phoebe pondered. "Rhonda seems a little on edge tonight."
Gerald scoffed. "Aren't we all? This is our first party with the entire gang since the end of summer and here we all are in the middle of something horrible. I mean whose blood was that in the kitchen anyway, Phoebe?!"
Phoebe silently wondered that as well.
xXx
"I guess I just don't understand how everyone could have disappeared," Lila said. "I guess this house is just ever so big, but you would think they would want to come back to the rest of the group after all that has happened."
"Are you kidding me? Did you even see the blood in the kitchen, Lila?!" Helga spat. "Who's to say it wasn't their own blood and guts everywhere?!"
"Helga," Arnold said firmly. He held the candle ahead of them, gravitating towards a flight of stairs. "I wouldn't go that far. Who would have the motive to do such a thing? I mean, we are all here as friends."
"Hmph! Don't get so cozy with that idea Arnold-o!" Helga gathered her dress before ascending the first few steps. "There seems to be a lot going on behind closed doors."
"Whatever do you mean, Helga?" Lila said after reaching the second floor.
"Did you people forget whose photos were in the fireplace? Crimeny!"
"Rhonda and Harold?" Arnold asked.
"But why on earth would someone burn up photographs of those two? They just look ever so sweet together."
"I'll tell you why, missy! Someone does not want those two together."
Arnold turned to Helga, "And that person would be Rhonda herself."
"No, that's not what I – "
Arnold interrupted, "She shouldn't be doing that, you know."
"Doing what?" Lila asked.
"Teasing him of course! She knows he likes her. I think she just takes advantage of that fact."
Arnold stopped for a moment to look at Lila. A lot like what you did to me all those years ago, he thought. He wondered if she remembered doing that to him.
It was then that Helga began to notice who Arnold was staring at. Does Arnold still have a thing for Lila? Helga began to grow jealous.
"A-Arnold – ?"
"Yeah, Helga?"
Helga sighed, "Let's just try and find the others."
xXx
Park pointed down the hallway, "There it is."
"Well, let's hop to it, fellers," Stinky said, leading the way with the candle.
Rhonda hurried past Stinky and reached out her hand to the knob. She twisted, but it didn't budge.
"Huh?" Rhonda tried twisting the knob back and forth. "It's stuck!"
Park took hold of the knob and tried as well.
"It appears to be locked!"
"Looky there!" Stinky pointed to the ground.
Below the door was a faint light emanating from the crack.
"Harold?" Rhonda pressed her ear against the door. It sounded as though large feet were walking up the steps. The light under the door was becoming brighter.
"Rhonda?" Harold could barely make out.
"Oh, Harold!" Rhonda glowed. "Thank god you're alright!"
"Well, not exactly."
"Harold, what happened?" Park asked.
Harold sighed.
"Someone locked me down here, guys. I don't know who."
"Can't you unlock it from the inside?" Rhonda began to tremble, knowing Harold would have been out by now if this were the case.
"This house is pretty old," Harold remarked. "The cellar can only be unlocked from the outside… with a key."
Rhonda searched the ground with her eyes in hopes that the keys were, by some miracle, left there.
"We can try finding the keys," Park said.
"That would be great!" Harold said. "There should be a spare by the front door."
"Okie Dokie," Stinky said before starting the other way. "You fellers coming?"
Park followed, but Rhonda couldn't bring herself to do the same.
"I'll stay and keep Harold company."
"Suit yourself," Park said. "We'll be right back, Harold!"
"Thanks, guys!"
Rhonda watched the candlelight fade away from the hallway before she sat on the floor and turned her full attention to Harold.
"Harold, I'm glad you're ok."
There was silence behind the door as Harold smiled.
Rhonda sighed, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm really afraid."
A sharp pain struck his heart. He had been wondering when he should tell her about the breaker box, but after she said that, he decided against it. Instead he looked under the crack of the door. Her slender fingers were close. He slowly reached his fingers under the door and touched hers. Rhonda looked down.
"I'm right here, Rhonda," Harold said.
xXx
Phoebe was concerned. Gerald was still fuming about the events of the night.
"I could have punched him, you know," Gerald said between clenched teeth.
"Gerald," Phoebe started with caution, "I really don't think Iggy did anything."
Gerald pinched the bridge of his nose. Phoebe stood in front of him.
"I believe you just want to think it was him so you can be more secure with the circumstances."
"I don't know, Phoebe."
"We can't prove anything yet Gerald."
Gerald sighed, "I guess you're right. It's just that the way he was arguing with Harold earlier – I just don't really see him act that way unless he really wants something. "
Phoebe nodded.
"Remember how threatening he was when he made Arnold wear bunny pajamas just because he wanted Arnold to be humiliated?"
"I suppose you're correct, Gerald," Phoebe said. "Iggy does seem to have a short temper."
"You'd betta' believe it, babe."
xXx
Lila opened a door followed closely behind by Arnold. The glow of the candlestick swept across the room. It was a study, with books covering shelves on the walls.
"How interesting!" Arnold said before taking a closer look at the book spines. "I didn't know Harold had a library."
Helga entered the room and scoffed, "I bet Harold didn't know he had a library either. It looks like it hasn't been touched in a very long time."
"Oh Helga, that's just ever so mean. I'm sure Harold loves reading."
Arnold pulled out a book from one of the shelves and blew some dust from it. Helga rolled her eyes before hearing a small noise in the back of the room. She spotted a desk in front of a window. The wind was howling against it. The curtains seemed to sift uncomfortably. Helga figured that the wind outside was probably so strong that it was seeping through tiny cracks in the window frame, making the curtains want to move.
Helga looked towards Arnold and Lila. They were busying themselves with looking at the worn books from the shelf. They were whispering, but the wind was so loud, Helga couldn't make out what they were saying. She scowled at the sight of them together.
Well played, Lila Sawyer, Helga mentally kicked herself at her inability to hear them over the howling wind. I might as well take a look at the damages outside while we're here.
Helga walked towards the window, but before she could, she hit her foot on something soft, yet firm behind the desk and felt gravity pull her down.
"Oof!"
"Helga!" Arnold dropped the book he was holding and ran to Helga's aid. He stopped before he got too close.
"Are you alright, Helga?" Lila was close behind, but also stopped short.
The look on Helga's face was of sheer terror and her body was trembling uncontrollably. On the floor next to Helga was a dark, lifeless lump lying in a pool of blood. On the floor next to the lump was a pair of bright red glasses.
"C-curly?" Arnold began to shiver.
Helga let out a horrifying scream before the others followed suit.
xXx
OH MY GOSH! Did anyone see that coming? Hehe, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Stay tuned as there is much more to come! Don't forget to REVIEW!
