Chapter Three:
Mordeo v. To cut into; to pierce or sever with a sharp instrument, usually resulting in death. Latin.

Elli walked the path, head down. She shivered in the night air, escorted by the doctor. Wind howled through the trees and she gripped his hand tighter.
"Doctor?"
"Hm...?"
"I-" She blushed, looking down. "I'm rather frightened." She shifted the bag of groceries in her arms. "I'm just... glad I have you here." She smiled nervously and the doctor smiled.
"Thank you for the compliment. Now let's get inside, ok?"

The doctor opened the door to Elli's house, following her in and setting down his own bag of groceries.
"Let me check on Ellen really quickly and I'll be right back."
"No, really... you should go home. Get some rest." He hesitated but nodded.
"I'm sure she'll be fine." Elli nodded and escorted the doctor out.

But when morning came, two people in the small house did not open their eyes.

"He was so young!" Elli sobbed into the doctor's shoulder. "What do you think- what happened doctor!"
"Ellen was old. These things happen. But Stu..." His voice cracked and he bowed his head onto Elli's.
"We have to stop this Harris. Now." Harris simply nodded, eyes glazed over. "What is it?" The doctor whispered.
"It's just... this whole thing is happening too quickly. We..." His eyes cleared and he looked at the doctor. "Let's get a list of suspects. We have... Elli. She was the only one in the house. And... and Sasha. And Jeff. They were there when- but it just doesn't make sense! No one was in Sasha's house but Sasha and Jeff when Rick and Karen died. Just like no one was in Elli's house when Stu and Ellen died! So... what then? What happened to them doctor? And who's behind this massacre?"

The doctor hesitated, thinking deeply. He finally took a deep breath. "Maybe... maybe the murderer is striking... beforehand."
"What?"
"Poison, Harris. Slow-acting poison." They both stared at each other. "We mustn't let any one know what we're up to. And from now on... for the love of god... guard yourself."

Thomas walked down the street. The happiness was drained from his eyes. He no longer waved at the people he passed, simply walked quickly, head bowed. He had lost weight, his face sunken like a cadaver's. He stopped outside the church. Glancing around, he entered.

His eyes opened in horror at what he saw. Carter, Popuri, and Jeff lay on the pews, dead eyes staring up at the cross. All three had bulging eyes and screaming mouths, locked in terror. The mayor stumbled backwards, colliding into someone. He turned and gasped.
"Y-you!"
"Me."

A scream shook the church. It was quickly cut off.

Alex and Harris met at midnight, frantic.
"Too many deaths. Too little time. How is no one seeing these things? How- why is this happening!"
"We can't figure this thing out. I wanted to include the mayor... he was-" Harris lowered his head, lower lip shaking. "This can't be happening. Tell me this is a dream. A nightmare. Please doctor I-" The doctor grabbed his shoulders, shaking him roughly.
"Get a grip! Relax. We will figure this out! I saw it the other day. The picture. I was visiting the library and there it was. I think... I think it's Basil, Anna, or even Mary."
"You don't think it could that they were framed?"
"By who? The only other person who goes to the library is Gray." Their eyes met. "We have too much to think about as it is. We should keep our ears and eyes out. We must be-" A scream resounded. They both paused, turning. "What was-"
"Let's go!"

The library door was open. Mary lay across the desk, a picture in her hand. Basil's throat was cut. He lay on the ground next to Anna, who was breathing hard.
"Anna! She's still alive! Anna- Anna speak to us! Who did it? Who!"
"My... my..." Her eyes glazed over, breathing labored. "My..." Her eyes rolled up into her head and her chest moved no more.
"My son-in-law? My... husband?" They both looked at Basil, a grimace on their faces. "My what?"
"I guess we have no clues..."

There were so many dead that who ever was dead, remained where they lie. The doctor pulled the door closed behind him, Harris walking down the street already.
"Where are you going?"
"Isn't it obvious? The killer must've just left! We need to-"
"No. Not tonight. Did you see that scene? Did you? It was... horrible..."
"Did you check upstairs...?" A shiver ran up their spine and they glanced up. The killer could still be in the library. They looked at each other.
"Let's go."

Reopening the door, they glanced again at the bodies. They still lie still, as the dead do. Up the stairs they went, slowly, warily. They turned the corner-

Gray lay across the table, moonlight in his eyes. Harris fell backwards, crying out, but the doctor took a slow step forward.
"He's dead too."
"This is insane! It's... It's maddening!"
"I don't know how much more of this I can take."
"Well... another list of suspects?" The doctor nodded. "We know it isn't each other. The scream came when we were together. So that leaves... Elli. Duke. Lillia. Manna. Saibara. Sasha. Zack. And Won."
"Eight people. None with any reason. This doesn't make sense!"