When The Snow Falls

He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Daniel knew he didn't necessarily have to panic. Rebirth appeared in a lot of fiction and Felix was a fan of reading ghost stories. The term had probably appeared in a book and Felix had wanted to know more.

It was that or Felix was suspecting him of being Daniel Edgerton.

Daniel moved the apps back into the right order and put the phone on Felix's bed.

For now there was nothing he could do but get some sleep. Felix came back from the bathroom as he pulled the covers over himself.

"Did she reply?" his boyfriend asked.

"...She did. It was what I was expecting and I replied back," he answered.

"Of course," Felix commented. "I'll turn out the light."

The room was plunged into darkness and Daniel closed his eyes. The problem was all he could see was the waterfall of blood from earlier, Felix's stare from earlier and the word 'rebirth'. He turned over and tried to fall asleep.

"Daniel. There's nothing to worry about- go to sleep," Felix instructed with a yawn.

Despite the reassurance Daniel struggled to fall asleep and eventually dropped off into a light sleep only to be awoken by a knock on the door. He g.r.o.a.n.e.d and promptly pulled the duvet over his head to block out the noise.

The knocking continued and he heard Felix get out of his bed.

"We're going to get breakfast," he heard Oliver say cheerfully once the door was opened. "Aren't you two up yet?"

Felix came over and pulled his duvet back. Daniel looked up at him with tired eyes.

"Come on sleepyhead," Felix said affectionately and gave him a hand to pull him up. "Oliver, we'll be down in five minutes."

Daniel stretched and checked the time on the alarm clock that had been provided. It was now half ten in the morning. He felt like he could have slept some more.

"You'd better be awake, we'll be eating with the other club and you might need to trade some insults with Ethan," Felix said.

"I'll drink some tea first," Daniel said.

They made their way down the stairs and found they were the last two to arrive at the table. He sat down next to Amien and checked what was available. The food was standard hotel fare with toast, cereal, and the expected beverages. There was also what looked to be miso soup and red bean buns.

Felix passed him the toast and the strawberry jam. Daniel spread the jam onto his toast and glanced down the table for the nearest teapot. A moment later Felix passed it to him.

"You've got Daniel down to a tee," Amien noted.

Daniel took a look at Amien. He didn't look like someone who had spent most of the night watching trashy TV. He looked as he normally did. Harry and Oliver on the other hand looked like they were going to fall asleep on the table.

He cast a look at the other club and noticed that most of them were still looking green and the only people talking were Vincent and a couple of the girls. His self proclaimed rival was picking at a bowl of cereal and glared when their eyes met.

Felix's reply to Amien's observation drew his attention back.

"I know Daniel very well now."

That brought back everything from the previous night.

"What's he thinking right now?" Oliver asked.

Felix turned to him and gave him an evaluating glance.

"He's worried about how well I know him."

It did appear that Felix had his number. Whether or not that meant he knew he wasn't really Daniel Entwhistle was another matter.

"Is he right?" Harry demanded.

"Yes," Daniel admitted.

"If you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't have a reason to worry," Amien commented. "Check he doesn't have a crush on that snobby blond down the table."

Daniel glared at him. Vincent was the last person he would have a thing for.

"I think Daniel fell for my lack of snobbery," Felix retorted with a nudge. "That blond can't be my rival- he reeks of it."

One of the things that had always struck Daniel about Felix was his confidence. This was one of the moments where he was glad of it for it changed the subject of the conversation.

"You are very confident," Amien observed. "I bet you were popular at school in England."

Daniel remembered Sunny's crush on him and smiled to himself. Felix winked at him and ran a hand through his hair.

"I snared Daniel with my charms and that's what matters."

Amien looked at him for confirmation.

"I was surprised that he was so brazen," he admitted. "It caught me off guard and I agreed to go out with him. Then he did a runner when my parents turned up."

"I didn't do a 'runner'," Felix complained. "I was in a wheelchair with a broken leg."

Amien snorted just as Yamamoto walked into the dining room.

"As you will know, the murder mystery event has been cancelled. I will also give you all refunds, but for now, you are all required to stay here until the Police allow you to leave," the event organiser announced.

That told Daniel several things. The Police wanted any potential suspects restricted which showed they hadn't narrowed the suspects down or arrested anyone yet. It also suggested that the Police considered them as suspects.

"Is that legally binding?" Vincent enquired.

His Japanese was carefully articulated, but still had a heavy English accent.

"Not quite," Yamamoto admitted. "If you really wanted to leave, they would let you. However it would be considered suspicious if you left the island."

"Can we go to the theatre?" one if the girls asked.

Yamamoto shook his head.

"The theatre is strictly off limits. You can go anywhere else on the island though. You are not restricted to staying in the lodge."

***

The Mystery Club gathered again in the boys room to plan the day. Oliver declared himself notetaker whilst Daniel looked over the map that the event organiser had given him.

"We need to map out the island," Daniel said. "The map Yamamoto gave us doesn't give a lot of information. It mainly just lists the route between the dock and the lodge."

Oliver wrote that down on his notepad.

"Anything else?"

"Speak to the actors again and check that no one has been arrested yet," Felix said.

"It's a shame we can't go back to the theatre to check anything," Meredith said. "There could be a clue there."

Felix shook his head. "We spent a lot of time there yesterday with the Police around. I think we saw anything that had significance. I also don't want to sneak into a sealed off area. I have no d.e.s.i.r.e to be arrested."

"That's right," Amien agreed. "The moment the Police decide we have overstepped our boundaries, we are to give up on the case- I do not want an arrest on my record for poking my nose in where it didn't belong."

"We're famous for being mystery solvers," Oliver pointed out.

Amien shook his head.

"That doesn't come into it in the slightest."

They set off together and Daniel looked for the highest point on the island. It appeared to be a hill in the distance.

"Let's get up there and look around. We should be able to see everything from there," he suggested.

They climbed up the hill with Felix in the lead and Daniel at the back. He really felt his short legs when it came to walking up hills. When they eventually reached the top he had a stitch in his side.

"There's some chalets there," Felix pointed to an area of white buildings.

"The actors stay there," Meredith contributed. "They mentioned it last night."

"They are quite far from the theatre," Amien noted. "The lodge is actually the closest building in the proximity of the theatre."

Daniel went over everything they knew about the case. The actors had all already been in the theatre, but someone had been heard going in through the back door and footprint had been found.

"Potentially if we count the testimony of the stage technician, we are looking at the suspects being everyone who wasn't on the stage when he heard the noise as well as any third party."

"We need to speak to him again," Oliver agreed.

"If it was a mistake on his part, it's anyone," Daniel reminded him.

"The Police are approaching the chalets," Harry shouted from his position.

Daniel came to stand by him immediately. Harry was correct, there was a group of Police officers walking towards the second chalet. The one in front knocked on the door and Yukari came out.

"I think she's being arrested," Oliver said fearfully. "Daniel, did she do it?"

Daniel felt like he had been unfairly put on the spot and let his instincts answer. It would take too long for him to put all the puzzle pieces into place.

"No, she didn't do it. Her motive isn't anywhere near strong enough."

Then something felt strange in his mind and he began to get a feeling about something.

"The murderer is someone very different."