Nine Tenants, Eight Keys
mystery◐ MatureEdda walks the line of survivors instead. Eight blankets, eight pairs of red eyes. She asks each one the same simple question: who lived in room 9? Every single person goes quiet. One woman starts to cry. A man stares at his shoes. Nobody answers.
A thin young man on the end stands up. 'They won't tell you,' he says, 'but I will. I only moved in last month.' He glances at the others, who glare at him. 'Room 9 was empty when I came. But the rent kept getting paid.'
What happens next?
1 ways forwardEdda follows the tip and checks the bank. Room 9's rent came from one standing payment, set up eleven years ago by the eight tenants together, split eight ways. She gathers them on the curb. 'You've paid for an empty room for eleven years. Tell me who's really in it.' One by one, they start to talk.