This is a shift day [see above]. There was another upload this morning: Past Ink & Present.

"Mystery Takeover"

7. Campfire Out

It was not an uncommon event for some of them to sneak around. They would go into town, or across the lake to the other camp, to see someone… Telling the difference between absences that were completely innocent – or at least not innocent but not murderous either – and ones that could have been spurred with the intent to kill was not the easiest thing to do. Until that day, none of them would have believed any of their friends capable of this, and yet here they were.

But then they had to try and think of ones where something just didn't fit, or something repeated. It wasn't unnatural to see some of the Weatherbee girls roaming through Arrowhead, but then all of those they saw they would either track to one of their counsellors that they were seeing, or right to the head counsellor's office. It was another thing to see one of them with absolutely no reason, an oddity, and it would be Colin who would recall this, eventually, working it out from the other sightings he might have made. He observed at first, but then he had to say it.

"I've been seeing you, around camp recently," he turned his eyes on Ruby. She shrugged, as though to say 'yeah, and?' "What were you doing there?"

"Visiting," she simply stated.

"Visiting who?" Simon asked, each guy slowly coming to realize they'd seen her as well, and it wasn't with any of them, as far as they could tell. If Ruby was looking to pin this on anyone, she was being shut out at every port.

"Marty," she spurted suddenly. "He didn't want me to tell anyone, but there, secret's out."

"Not the only thing that's out," Evan shook his head, as the guys stood taller, with a card to play that none of the girls had. "We've known he was gay since back when we were campers."

"Ruby, what did you do?" Kristy whimpered, and now the girl was cornered. "You killed Annie, didn't you…" her voice was low, not wanting to believe. She was right on the edge of bursting, and they all knew it, somewhere among them one more than the others, even if they wouldn't let it out. With any hope she would mind the silence she had sworn.

"I… You know what, I'll say it, because I don't regret it. Yes, I did it. I wringed her little neck until she was d…"

"Murdering bitch!" Daphne launched so unprovoked that by the time both Tommy and Colin could wake up and reach to hold her back, all they got was both her wrists, which snapped her back into falling to her knees. "She was your friend, too!" she cried.

"I had nothing against her," Ruby shrugged. She wasn't getting away, surrounded as she was, unless she felt like jumping from the bridge. "I just did what I was told." This gave the others pause for a moment, and she could almost have gotten away, but it didn't last long enough.

"What?" Becca asked.

"I did what he wanted me to, and he did what I wanted him to. And then we swapped. See how that worked out?" Her smile was almost frightening in how natural it was.

"Someone told you to kill Annie?" Veronica shook her head. "Who?"

"Gee, I don't know, how about the guy who should have been the one to try and tackle me," she looked to Daphne, "The guy who should have been asking that question," she turned her look to Becca, then lifted her gaze again, eyes widening. "Wait!" They all turned to look where she was looking, just as Kristy screamed. Joshua had grabbed her from behind, arm across her throat and holding to her shoulder, like a human shield.

"One wrong move and you'll have a third body. This one won't be so clean."

"Josh, man, what are you doing?" Nathan approached, and Kristy had to backpedal as she was tugged back when Joshua backed up.

"Please, don't hurt me," the girl begged.

"I wouldn't have to do a thing if someone had kept their mouth shut like they were supposed to. See what you're making me do, Ruby?"

"You wanted to bump off your girlfriend, I wanted to stick it to dear old Daph there. If you'd done your own dirty work, we wouldn't be in this mess!" Ruby sneered. Too late, she realized it was the wrong move. She didn't even see his arm jerk, not until Kristy's back arched and a gasp exploded from her lips. They screamed, but it was too late. The blonde crumbled to the ground, while Joshua took off at a run.

"Don't let her get away!" Colin pointed to Ruby while he and the guys ran after Joshua. The girls huddled around their former friend, though there was no chance she'd run either way; she just stood there, frozen, looking at the fallen girl who was no longer moving. Joshua didn't get far. Before long, the guys had him stopped, restrained.

A bell was rung and they all knew what this meant. The game was over. Rachel had pulled the bell – from an old bicycle – from her pocket, holding it high above her head before pulling the lever. The guys let go of Mike, the girls backed away from Santana, who unfroze. And Brittany, well… she laughed, rolling back into a seated position.

"That wasn't supposed to happen," Rachel looked to her.

"I know," Brittany nodded, grinning.

"It was my idea," Mike admitted, as he and the guys returned. "Why break a record?" Brittany hooted and hollered at that, while Santana moved up to offer her hands and get her up.

"It was kind of dramatic," Tina approved, moving up to Mike with a mock glare at the fact that he was the big baddie in all of this. He presented sad eyes and she chuckled, hugging him.

"Well, as the senior mystery producer here, for your maiden voyage I'd say it was a rousing success," Kurt pronounced, giving Mercedes a back hug, making her laugh.

"Kurt, you need to do these again," Brittany spoke up. "We don't care that you don't go here anymore. We miss you, and this has been great, like old times."

"I'm with Britt on that," Santana nodded, as did all the others.

"This actually didn't suck," Lauren added, and the rest cheered.

"The crown is yours," Rachel was happy to bow her head. "But if you need assistants, we're always happy to help, right?" she looked to Tina and Mercedes and they agreed.

"I… I think it's definitely something I can look into," Kurt smiled, keeping any tears that might have any idea of escaping good and reined in. He couldn't deny he still had plenty of unused scenarios in his head, just waiting to be performed… and maybe he could talk Blaine into joining them… Any chance to get closer was worth exploring, right?

THE END