AWKWARD ZOMBIE

"And I think I've solved your door mystery, rookie."

"Bud obviously wouldn't cut up his own door, so someone else had to have. But why?"

"I suspect it was to break into Bud's house. None of his items were missing, so he was obviously unsuccessful."

The fall could have been natural or unnatural. You'll have to determine that yourself.

"Upupu... It seems you're all dodging around the issue here."

"But then again, you probably don't want to think that someone went out last night with the intention to murder."

"You seem pretty intent on pointing in the direction of premeditated murder, Nook."

"Indeed. Because one of you bastards started out the night intent on killing someone. Perhaps someone who would never see it coming."

Pierce's eyes widen in disbelief.

"You mean the reason Bud was out so late at night....."

Pierce's disbelief turned into anger.

".....was because he was trying to kill someone?!?!?"

"UPUPUPUPUPUPU!!! You should see your faces! You really wanted to believe that Bud was a hapless victim? He was out for blood last night, and had he not failed, he would be standing here right now lying through his teeth! How naive you are of the ways of this world!"

"With that in mind... perhaps we need what might be the final scenario..."

SCENARIO 4



"Bud was attacked at his home last night. The unknown culprit left the knife behind.

Bud, upon discovering the knife, resolved that he needed to pay off his debt, maybe before he became a victim to someone else's plan.

With that, he took the knife and his shovel, and intended to kill some unsuspecting villager.

At that point, he met up with Joe. He chatted Joe up for a bit, idlely talking while he waited for an opening. Finally, at the scene of the crime, he decided to swing at Joe with his shovel.

But, perhaps due to the lightning, or the mud, Bud misses, and the shovel lands in the river.

Joe is alerted to this, and discovers Bud has dropped the knife.

The two fight over it, and Joe accidentally backhands it into Bud's face.

At this point, Joe thinks Bud is dead, and intends to hide the body to save himself.

At the same time, a witness is in the area and knows what happened and where. Perhaps they feel relieved that they witnessed the murder, and know the culprit.

But, that wasn't the end. Bud hadn't hit his head yet, so he couldn't be dead.

Instead, still hoping to kill that night, he was alerted to the presence of the witness.

The witness fled, and was confronted by Bud, who intended to murder them to get out safely. Perhaps they were anyother easy target. Whatever the case, in the ensuing struggle, the "victim" fought back and knocked Bud over, ending their life.

Fearing being seen as the true culprit, they moved the body back to where they saw the fight going on, intent on framing Joe. Perhaps they even made sure to not leave footprints, and set up the crime scene to look like everything happened there.

If this is what happened... then the culprit is none other than the witness in the case...it's..."

"Could this be it? Do I have everything right?"

Whitney's eyes widened in disbelief--and realization. "D...Diana?" she stuttered. "You think Diana killed Bud? What reason would she have to do that?!"

"Well Diana? Do you have anything to say in your defense? We're willing to hear you out, our lives are on the line, after all."