Seven Women in a Room

Seven women are trapped with the body of a murdered celebrity with the only way out being that his killer must be exposed... and executed. However, all of them are equally suspicious.

I

 

Somewhere… Sometime…

 

Waking up in a room, all windows and doors boarded up so none can pass through. Seven couches arranged in a circle, a body in the middle.

 

Seven women all named Annie, Bonnie, Connie, Danny, Emily, Franzy, and Ginny, stared in horror. He was only known by Z.

 

A broken bottle of wine most likely served in a restaurant, the jagged edge stuck out to his chest where a red blotch is. The weapon was staked into his heart.

 

The thing is, none of the girls knew each other. Questions filled the room as they spoke with wary eyes, knowing the other person could be the culprit.

 

But despite the endless slew of interrogations, all of the girls denied ever having a grudge against the man. They all knew him as Z is a celebrity.

 

Then they agreed upon this �" they would ask themselves the same questions, and all seven ladies have an equal chance to answer.

 

First question, “When was the last time you saw him alive?”

 

Annie said, “Saw him at the bar, having a cocktail party with his friends. Z is distinct, you can tell him apart from a crowd of a hundred.”

 

Bonnie said, “Playing billiards in the pool hall. He won a few frames, and each time Z and his opponent would shake hands firmly after each match.”

 

Connie said, “I happened to be in the same gym as him. Boy, Z sure works hard and you can see it on his biceps and abs.”

 

Danny said, “Enjoying a mocha latte outside a coffee shop down the corner. Z kept his sunglasses on as he worked on his laptop.”

 

Emily said, “Walking his Pomeranian around the park. I was taking photographs of the birds when I chanced upon Z.”

 

Franzy said, “Reading a book in the library. Z had his headphones on the whole time so nobody disturbed him.”

 

Ginny said, “Watching a basketball game with his friends. Z was out of his usual self, almost losing his voice in cheering for his favorite team.”

 

They searched him next, and in his pocket, they found a six-shot revolver. Why did he carry such a weapon? He is lucky not to have that used against him.

 

In another pocket, they found a handwritten note. When they read the contents, they were horrified.

 

Every hour, the time to decide shall arrive. One shot in the head for the suspect of your choosing. Who will remain shall be set free. Choose wisely.

 

Then someone suggested, “Might I do the honors? I have a clear picture of who the killer is.”

 

Another asked, “Are you sure?”

 

She nodded. That gesture followed by another, a three, a four, until all of them reached a common ground.

 

When all was done, the clock chimed to signal the end of the hour. Had they been trapped here for an hour? It felt like only ten minutes have passed.

 

The light flickered until the light died out. The gun was raised, the hammer’s sound clicked.

 

*BANG*

 

The ladies cried as the revolver lit the room for an instant. The gun clinked as it hit the floor.

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II

 

Moments later, the light illuminated the room once more. The ladies looked at themselves and each other for any gunshot wound.

 

They were all clean save for one.

 

The chosen one is Danny, bleeding out as her body lay on her couch. When they asked each other why �" they had differing opinions �" they soon came to an agreement.

 

Thus, six women remained alive, two corpses with them.

 

Within half an hour, the unfamiliar faces shared a bit of their own lives. Thus, the second question they had to answer.

 

Annie is a bartender and has worked in the bar where Z and his friends frequented.

 

Bonnie is a showgirl, coincidentally working in the same bar where Annie worked.

 

Connie is an athlete, jogging around the city in the morning and hitting the gym by the afternoon.

 

Emily is a hobbyist, taking photos of nature around the city. She has learned of a sycamore growing in the middle of the park, hence her presence there.

 

Franzy is a college student, researching in the city library for her thesis.

 

Ginny is a waitress, serving in the restaurant where Z watched the game between the Cavs and the Dubs.

 

Curious, they searched his body once again, hoping to find anything that may help them escape the boarded room.

 

They found several receipts stuffed deep into his back pocket.

 

They were: a tab of his drinks last night, a bottle of energy drink from a convenience store, dog food from a supermarket, a meal of roast beef and champagne, and an order of brazo de mercedes and mocha latte.

 

It was then they realized, they accused the wrong person and that the killer is still dwelling among them.

 

Then someone stepped up, “Let me handle the weapon. This time, there would be no mistake.”

 

Despite their initial doubts about her stepping up, they soon trusted in her judgment and left the gun with her.

 

The clock chimed to signal the end of the hour, and moments after, the lights flickered until the room plunged into darkness. A click followed.

 

*BANG*

 

A body dropped, and the gun clinked as it dropped to the middle of the room.

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III

 

When the light illuminated the room, the ladies checked themselves and each other for any gunshot wound.

 

They were all clean save for one.

 

The chosen one is Franzy, facing up towards the ceiling and her eyes remained wide open. When they asked each other why, there can be no doubt. They agreed that they had wrongly judged Danny and that they nailed the culprit this time.

 

Thus, five women remained alive, three corpses with them.

 

Clearly shaken, the five remaining women remained in their seats. Another half hour passed without interaction.

 

One by one, they took turns examining the room, hoping to find anything that could bust them out.

 

On one side hung a beautiful painting of a meadow. Emily smiled, comparing the image to the park she visited to take some photographs. She felt the surface border to border.

 

Her fingers lay upon a paper fragment wedged between the canvas and corner frame. She took it and read the three written words.

 

Bee and flower

 

Though non-sequitur, she passed the fragment on to the other women. None of them knew what it meant, or so it seemed from their expressions.

 

Emily came forward with the third question, “Why would you not have a motive to kill him?”

 

Annie said, “I’m the only one whom my family depends on. I see no means to support myself to finish my education.”

 

Bonnie said, “I’ve seen my share of the darkest trades of the nightlife, enough to trigger nightmares during my sleep. To kill would only worsen these fears, a scandal rooting from the crime I would never dare to do.”

 

Connie said, “I see no reason to kill Z. Despite all of the gossip surrounding him, he is far from those. Did I not mention, I see him every week or two?”

 

Emily said, “As I said, I’m a hobbyist. I seek the beauty of nature embedded within the modern state of the times, not create one through dread.”

 

Ginny said, “I serve to satisfy the needs of customers, not take what’s of value to them.”

 

And so they made it clear. If what the newfound note contains is true, then the killer is still dwelling among them.

 

Someone stepped up, “I’ll have the gun for this round. I know someone who matches the description perfectly.”

 

Their hearts torn, they had no choice but to leave judgment to the wielder.

 

The clock chimed to signal the end of the hour, and moments after, the lights flickered until the room plunged into darkness. A click followed.

 

*BANG*

 

A heavy thud, the gun clinked in the middle of the room.

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IV

 

When the light returned, the ladies checked themselves and each other for any gunshot wound.

 

They were all clean save for one.

 

The chosen one is Bonnie, shot square in the forehead. Just like the first, the survivors had divided opinions on who the culprit is. After fifteen minutes of deliberation, they had accepted the interpretation of facts.

 

Thus, four women remained alive, four corpses with them.

 

When they reconsidered the evidence they found, some of their foreheads crinkled in confusion. In terms of contradictions, this time there were none. None of it made sense.

 

They realized their mistake �" Bonnie had been executed too early. Never had they the chance to expound on the scandals Z was supposedly involved in.

 

“Have you all forgotten,” Annie injected, “that you have a bartender in your midst?”

 

Word is, Z had been the subject of many tabloids after shifting from modeling to show business.

 

Despite the good boy image he has been showing to the public, he had been frequenting KTV bars and nightclubs, one of which Annie and Bonnie worked at.

 

In addition, he had recently broken up with his non-showbiz girlfriend after an affair �" some say it was due to one of his sexcapades. He had found another, but again had no word on this new girl. Apparently, she wanted him to keep his mouth shut.

 

Some say he was using narcotics and sometimes showed up intoxicated on set. He supposedly had two shows canceled because of this, yet his managers have covered it all up.

 

“The ex-girlfriend’s name,” Ginny asked, “did they say her name?”

 

“If I overheard correctly, it’s Daniella,” Annie replied.

 

Gasp! One of the girls drew the connection and confirmed that her guess was right after all. The other three caught on.

 

But there is a problem. There is a now a hole in the truth of the murder, a new gray area is created.

 

Thus came the fourth question, “Are we to believe these pieces of gossip as facts?”

 

Annie said, “While I mix and serve drinks for a living, it is a secondary objective for me to know what’s buzzing around. Trust me, I can distinguish between truth and bullshit. And I say, half of these are bullshit.”

 

Connie said, “It makes me wonder why the media never chose to reveal his nightly escapades. I mean, wouldn’t that be a hot topic on that Sunday gossip show? Perhaps, these never elevating to the small screen means something.”

 

Emily said, “I’m more interested in his ex-girlfriend’s identity. We know of her presence, yes. But, why hasn’t Z introduced us to her in the first place? Doesn’t that make his escapades suspect?”

 

Ginny said, “I don’t pay attention to gossip, as there are much more things to prioritize. However, when you mentioned that bit about narcotics and possible alcohol abuse, it makes me wonder if it’s true all along.”

 

It became apparent that each and every one of them knew something about Z. If all of their answers are pieced together, they would either create overlaps or unseen holes.

 

But time has passed and the clock was about to sound once more.

 

One of the girls picked up the gun and declared, “Somebody here clearly knows more than us. And that she has revealed herself to us unwittingly.”

 

Their eyes widened, thinking that it would lead to another case of prejudice. In the recent question, there was nothing incriminating of the sort.

 

Yet time left them behind and the clock sounded to end the hour. The lights flickered until the room plunged into darkness once again. The gun clicked.

 

*BANG*

 

While the gun clinked as usual in the middle of the room, the sound of somebody falling over was absent.

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V

 

The lights returned, and the ladies checked themselves and each other for any gunshot wound.

 

They were all clean save for one.

 

The chosen one is Ginny, sporting a mortified look on the other three ladies before falling backwards, perishing from her wound eventually. Nobody agreed with each other, dominated by their own opinions on the matter.

 

Thus, three women remained alive, five corpses with them.

 

Soon after, they realized a significant fact that validated the accusation. After all, given her occupation, who’s to say that she did not engage in “small talk” during her breaks.

 

They searched the corpses’ bodies for any useful item they might find.

 

Within Ginny’s personage, they found an ID card and a small makeup kit with nothing of interest.

 

Danny had nothing on her save for a few bills of cash.

 

Franzy had a small notepad with her, scribbled with words related to school and some shady notes about the victim. It seems as if she had been stalking Z for some time.

 

Bonnie had a bottle of cologne and a makeup kit, containing a few items of interest. A used packet of condom, a sachet of white substance, and a crumpled photograph.

 

It was a picture of Bonnie, smiling sweetly with her hand under the chin. It has a small note on the back.

 

Thanks for the night. �" Z

 

That one phrase along with the reveal of Bonnie’s occupation as a prostitute answered most of the queries they had as of the moment.

 

Connie declared, “We now established that every one of the other suspects is indeed connected to Z in some way. It’s only a matter of time before all three of us will be the same. Thus, each of us has a certain motive to kill.”

 

It is only appropriate to ask the fifth question, “Why should we consider you innocent of the crime?”

 

Annie said, “As rotten as our customers can get, I admit I get the feeling that they need to be punished personally for their misdeeds. However, for professionality’s sake, I always choose not to get deeply caught up in the affairs of others.”

 

Connie said, “Which crime are we talking about? I say that none of us is innocent of anything. I did not kill Z. That is final. I cannot guarantee your innocence, however, as admittedly, there are a lot of anomalies in this case we still need to clear up.”

 

Emily said, “You can’t be serious if you’re accusing me of the murder. I’ve witnessed personally that Z is a good man, so why would I have the drive to kill him? No bias here, ladies, but I’ll admit that my image of him is tainted right now given the circumstances.”

 

When the clock sounded to end the hour, one of them picked the gun up. Already knowing what is meant, none of them said a word.

 

The lights flickered until darkness fell over them for the fifth time. The gun clicked and aimed for one of the heads.

 

*BANG*

 

A body fell, and the gun clinked in the middle of the room.

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VI

 

The lights returned and the ladies checked themselves no longer for they knew they were clean save for one. They simply stared at the dying suspect.

 

The chosen one is Annie, futilely gasping for air and her mouth forming the word, “Why?” Her neck fell over to her side and she expired soon after.

 

Thus, two women remained alive, six corpses with them.

 

With one shot left for either of them, Connie and Emily glared at each other. Innocent they no longer were as they had caused the death of at least one of their companions of which their credibility is questionable.

 

Connie said flatly, “So, one bullet in the chamber for either of us. Should you ever handle the gun, I ask that you judge wisely.”

 

Emily replied, “Same to you. But before that, we have one more place of interest we all forgot to examine. I suppose we should do so now while the hour is still young.”

 

They turned their own couch upside-down. Underneath each of them is a photograph of Z. Their eyes widened in shock and disbelief, Connie and Emily helped remove the corpses from their own couches and retrieved the photograph taped underneath.

 

Connie returned the corpses to their original positions while Emily compiled the pictures in one corner of the room. Connie joined her a few minutes after.

 

They started with their dead companions.

 

Annie had taken a group picture of Z and his friends the night before, as indicated on the timestamp on the lower-right corner. There is a mirror behind the group, and Annie’s image can be barely seen there. Behind it is a note from Z.

 

Keep this as a souvenir, Ms. Bartender. �" Love, Z

 

The second photograph is of Z playing pool with his friends as Bonnie testified. True enough, she was behind his back watching in glee. She wore a small jacket over her uniform.

 

Danny and Z are together in the third photograph, taken by a friend on a beach a few summers ago. Indeed, she was Z’s alleged ex-girlfriend, Daniella.

 

Franzy took the fourth photograph inside a coffee shop. Z was greeting a woman whose face is blurred. Connie assumed it was Danny, as her testimony is corroborated by this photo.

 

The fifth is of Ginny in a room full of manuscripts and pictures. It seemed that Ginny is or was a journalist, albeit not a respectable one. If she were a waitress indeed, she would have worked part-time.

 

Then it came to the last two photos, that from Connie and Emily’s couches.

 

Emily’s photograph is taken from the park where Z is spotted with his Pomeranian. Several people were in the background, and Emily recognized herself among them.

 

Connie’s photograph is taken outside of the same coffee shop Z was in. Like Franzy’s, the image was slightly blurry. Connie recognized the position of the shot, much to her surprise.

 

The angle showed that the subjects are inside the coffee shop, fibbing with a small device assumed to be a digital camera. One of them is Franzy, and the other…

 

“That’s you, isn’t it?” Emily spoke before Connie.

 

“Yes, but… How…?” Connie asked in disbelief.

 

“And I thought you and Franzy didn’t know each other personally. Why did you have to lie?”

 

“I didn’t mean to. I thought we may be suspected if I admitted as much.”

 

“If you say so,” Emily scowled at the other woman.

 

Both ladies returned to their seats, waiting to pass the time until the hour of judgment comes.

 

A minute before the clock strikes, Connie and Emily had finally made their decision. There were no more questions to be asked, only that of self-reflection and bearing the guilt of the crime.

 

To the remaining two suspects at least, the hidden truth cannot be made much more clear than it already is.

 

“Pick up the gun,” Emily commanded. “That way, you won’t have to worry about me ending your life.”

 

“But then I will have to shoot you,” Connie replied. “Emily, I know you didn’t do this.”

 

“And you didn’t either? The note said as much �" one shot for each of us and the one who remains shall be set free. You believe in your own innocence, do you?”

 

“Yes… I do…” Connie hesitated before picking up the gun.

 

“You know what the truth of the matter is. The time has come.”

 

The clock lets out a strike to end the final hour. The lights flickered as usual. Connie and Emily stared at each other indifferently as the room slowly plunged into darkness.

 

There was a significant delay before the gun clicked.

 

*BANG*

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VII

 

A second after the revolver hit the middle floor, the lights returned to reveal the final victim, hitting the couch hard as a result of the recoil.

 

All were shot save for one.

 

The chosen one is not Emily. Connie had the last bullet on herself, sparing the other woman from death. Unlike those who preceded her, she had a different wound �" into the chin and out to the scalp. She did not expire immediately just like Annie in her final moments.

 

“Now, is it clear to you?” Emily rose from her seat and slowly walked towards Connie. “That’s what you get for spreading your juice all over the place.”

 

Due to her wound, Connie could barely speak. But if she was still able to, she would have asked the same question as Annie.

 

“I say the b*****d got what he deserved. The scum can’t walk away free from all the tomfoolery he has done in the past. He is already past Daniella, but why does he continue to pursue her so?

 

“It’s unbelievable that both the lady bartender over there and her prostitute friend would drop their panties over a terrible excuse for a man. And you, Ms. Connie, I have something I forgot to show you.”

 

Emily produced a photograph from her pocket and held it in front of Connie’s face.

 

“That is a picture Ginny took when you were dining with my late boyfriend a few nights before. Oh, why did I have to lie?” Emily raised her eyebrows and spoke ironically. “Let’s just say another person would have been at the end of the barrel if I said so.”

 

Emily raised her eyes to the clock and sighed.

 

“Oh, boy. Would you look at the time?” at which Emily returned to Connie. “Any last words before you say goodbye?”

 

Connie spoke unintelligibly, unable to produce a proper sentence. Her vision faded to black, the last image was of Emily, standing cross-armed looking down upon her.

 

Thus, one woman remained alive, seven corpses with her.

 

Emily picked the revolver up and struck the chamber from the barrel’s side.

 

A bullet fell to the ground, and Emily smiled as she produced a second revolver hidden under her shirt.

 

She looked around the room, falling back to her couch in satisfaction. She reloaded the last bullet into the first revolver, aimed…

 

*BANG*

Author's Note

As this is my first mystery as a short story, please leave comments on any improvements I should make. I admit my craft is still young.

Reviews

[Agyani]

You could perhaps make it more detailed. There are a lot of loopholes and ambiguities in your story as of now. For instance, why would the women allow just anyone to kill someone else and then think about whether what they did was right? There would be a lot of quarreling, which isn't shown here. Perhaps add more dialogues between the characters so that the story absorbs the reader as deep as you want?

I liked the story's setting, but I think you should paint a clearer picture and give out details to give the story a streamlined form, especially since it's a murder mystery. As for your note about your craft being young, I don't feel that's too important. Your idea was fascinating, and the beginning of the story is a great hook.