| Fan Fiction |
by DTLCT
Charmaine: They're so nice.
Mandy: And funny too!
Charmaine: You still want to go down to the store down the street?
Mandy: Yeah. I don't want to keep surviving on noodles.
Charmaine smiles at her friend and walks past their front door with her.
When they get to the elevators, Charmaine turns to look at Mandy.
Charmaine: Do you want to...
Mandy *cuts her off*: Yes. I want to conquer it as soon as possible.
Charmaine steps up and presses the down arrow button. They have to wait for a while since it's coming up from the lobby. When it did come, they see Kevin, Ray, and a girl. Kevin and Ray seem to be engaging in some very interesting conversation. When the other girl steps out, Charmaine and Mandy enter.
Kevin *snapping to attention*: Hi you two! Running away from here already?
Ray is moving in front of the elevator, holding the door.
Mandy: We're going to the store down the street.
Kevin: It's getting dark out.
Ray *impatiently*: Are you coming, man?
Kevin *looks at Ray & then back to the girls*: Not yet. I need to buy something at the store too. I'll go with them.
Ray: Meet you back in the apartment then. Buy me a chicken salad.
Kevin: Ok.
Ray lets go of the door and gets out, not forgetting to turn around and flashes a charming smile at the girls first before the door closes.
Charmaine: So, did you get the assignment for Mr. Cho done?
Kevin: Not yet. But close the deal since he really like our designs.
Mandy: You guys are artists?
Kevin: No. Architects.
Mandy: Oh.
Kevin *as if remembering something*: So...how long did you girls stay with Alice? Did you get to ask about her weird brother?
Mandy: We just left their place.
Kevin: Their?
Mandy: Wallace came home while we were there. He made iced tea for us. It was soooo good.
Kevin *mouth open-wide before he speaks*: You met Wallace? He didn't give you a hard time or give you strange looks?
Mandy: He got mad at us when he first came home because he thought we broke in but after we explained, he was really nice.
Charmaine fills in the details. They're so involved in conversation with Kevin that Mandy forgets her fear until they reach the lobby.
Mandy *stepping out of the elevator*: Oh my god!
Charmaine *turns around, concerns on her face*: What's wrong?
Mandy: I forgot that I was in an elevator before.
Charmaine: That's good. You're not scared anymore. You'll be cured soon.
Even though Kevin isn't sure of what the girls are talking about, but he didn't want to pursue further if they didn't want to tell him.
The three walk out the building side-by-side with Kevin on the left, Mandy in the middle, and Charmaine on the right.
They browse around the store for an hour before walking back - each of them carrying a grocery bag.
Back into the building, they find a crowd standing in front of the elevators. The noise accelerates to a higher level as they approach it.
Kevin pushes through the crowd, trying to figure out what it is. Charmaine and Mandy try to look over other people's shoulders.
Mandy lets out a scream as Charmaine covers her mouth. Kevin stops dead in his track when he's just inches away from the center.
Charmaine: Who would do such a thing?
Mandy *had already turned pale by now*: I don't know. But I know we have a sick and very cruel person in the building.
Charmaine: It could be someone from outside the building. That person might have tossed the body here.
Someone in the crowd: It's probably that guy Wallace in 7A who did it.
Charmaine *looking at Mandy*: These people just like to make up stories.
Someone else in the crowd: No. It's not his style. It's probably Annie from 5D. She's always practicing witchcraft. It has to be her.
Charmaine tunes out the crowd's assumptions. She looks toward the center and sees that Kevin is inspecting the body like a real expert.
Mandy: Do you think Kevin's an undercover cop?
Charmaine: Or he could be watching too many cop movies.
Just then, the elevator on the left opens. Everyone snaps their attention to it. The occupants of it become clear – Wallace and Alice. The crowd gasps and murmurs among themselves.
Alice steps out trying to see why there's a crowd gathering here. She's still wearing the yellow striped t-shirt and blue jeans with white sneakers from before. But Wallace had changed out from his suit into a gray t-shirt and blue jeans with dark gray sneakers.
Alice: Is this a party or something? Why is everyone...
Before Alice finishes her question, she lets out a scream and jumps back to where Wallace is.
Alice: Ge! It's...it's...un...believable...
Alice wraps her arms around Wallace’s neck and buries her head in his shoulder, trying to get rid of the image. Wallace pats her on the shoulder, trying to calm her down. At the same time, he looks toward where Kevin's standing and sees the body.
Charmaine and Mandy weave through the crowd, trying to make their way toward where Wallace and Alice are standing. Kevin joins them when he spots Charmaine and Mandy.
Before he could voice his thoughts about the whole thing, the elevator on the right opens. They turn to see who it is this time.
Someone in the crowd: It's Annie!
The girl – Annie – is wearing a red velvet fancy shirt and blue jeans with black high heels. She has her hair tie up in a bushel, but it still brings out her cute features.
The crowd becomes even more startled since their "top 2 suspects" has show up.
Annie steps out slowly, looking at the crowd. She doesn't notice the body on the floor yet.
Alice *had pulled away from Wallace since she heard the elevator door opened & had been observing Annie the whole time*: Watch out!
Annie stops in her tracks and looks at Alice before looking at the floor area in front of her path. Her expressions changes immensively from passive to rage. She steps forward to pick the body up, getting blood on her hands in the process.
Annie *scanning the crowd*: Who killed my cat?!?!
Someone in the crowd: It wasn't us, Annie. We just saw it lying there.
The crowd is silent for once.
Wallace: Has anyone notified security yet?
Someone else in the crowd: Yea. We sent someone to tell Stan already. But I don't know why it took so long.
Wallace looks at Kevin.
Kevin: I just got back here with Charmaine and Mandy after the big crowd gathered.
Wallace looks at Annie, who's cradling her cat in her hands.
Kevin walks over to where Annie's standing and puts a hand on her shoulder to comfort her.
Everyone waits silently for Stan the security guard to come.
Annie seems a bit calm now but still keeps her alertness up.
Man: What's going on here?
Everyone turns their attention to the front of the lobby. A man in his fifties approaches the crowd in his security uniform. What's strange is the person tagging behind him.
Kevin: Ray?
Yes, it's Ray. He was the one the group sent to find Stan.
Ray walks over to Kevin and Annie. Ray stays silent since Stan's beginning to talk now.
He asks questions regarding the dead cat and gets random answers, which leads to nowhere.
Stan: Alright. I want those of you who were here first and actually discovered the body to stay. The rest of you go back to your apartments while the investigation is on. I don't want anyone leaving the building tonight. I'll post an announcement here tomorrow after I report this to Ms. Yeung.
Everyone scatters out and most of the people head for the elevator on the left since most of the right area became the crime scene and investigation area.
Charmaine, Mandy, Kevin, Wallace, and Alice step out of the crowd's way before they get smash. They're also the last group to go up.
Kevin looks toward Ray and waves him a good luck sign. He sees Annie still standing there looking dazed so he sends a smile her way for encouragement.