Sythrik looked at Caius and asked surprised, "what do you think they were trying to demonstrate?" Caius replied with a knowing smile, "he carved away who he was just to fit into a story he told himself - until nothing was left to play the part."
Sythrik simply stared at him, confused and dumbfounded. However, just before he was about to ask, the curtains retracted and the light shone once more, albeit brighter than before. The scenery had changed too! There, was the honored actress, Imelda, alongside a man dressed in a white and black police uniform. He held a notebook and a fountain pen while observing Richard's dead body. Richard's body was far more pale than what it was before! Parts of his hair was dyed red by the spewing of blood, and there was an obvious hole in his skull and the rope was gone! He simply sat in the chair, lifeless.
The policeman turned to Imelda and cautiously asked, "how was your relationship with this man?" Imelda's face, which expressed a constant panic and grief, turned worse as she answered the policeman, "he... He was my husband!" Her voice shook as she fell to her knees and mumbled, "he was my everything..."
The policeman looked worriedly at the grieving wife as he wrote down their relationship. Her gently kneeled down to her level and put his hand atop her shoulder. As she looked up and met his gaze, he said with a sincere tone, "I know this isn't easy to handle, I've seen many undergo this very experience in their own ways - Some laughed, some cried, some stood there unmoved, and some... Went their own, similar way.
"Even my mirror has experience the same scenario... However, even a broken mirror can be pieced together. It wont be as it used to, still bearing scars and uncertain edges. But, it will be better! That I assure you."
The grieving wife looked at her dead husband and gazed for a small, meaningful moment... She sat there and contemplated, then wiped her tears with small brushes of her hand. "Is there anything I can help with, officer?" She looked up at the officer and asked with renewed hope.
"There is." The officer said as he stood back up. "Can you tell me about him? His personality, occupation, friends? Anything would help the investigation."
She was taken aback by the simple request and quickly started organizing her thought and memory. After a small moment of thinking, she stood up and said, "without speaking as his wife I'd still say he was a kind man. He put others before himself and helped whenever he could. He was warm and call, and would talk only when needed, yet also when he wanted. I'd say he was a complicated yet simple man, kind and selfless.
"He was a well respected teacher, a mentor to many... Even myself. He had many friends, co-workers, and admirers, thus, he could be considered a local celebrity even! I just cant figure out... Why someone would want him dead..."
The officer wrote down the relevant information in his notebook and asked, "was there anything weird about those who was around him? Perhaps jealousy, or hatred toward his success?"
"I don't think so. To be honest, I don't think he's ever even been in an argument before." She answered after she had pondered for moment.
The officer couldn't hide his confused expression as he wrote down the information once again. His brown eyes surfaced the fallen husband and the hole in his head.
Suddenly, the stage's light dimmed, and the actress, Imelda turned quiet and unseen in the shadow. The policeman stood with his notebook and started contemplating, "loved by all, huh? There could be an outside party that needed to get rid of him for their own personal gain... However, not in this small town!
"He sounds like a regular man with a kind heart, no enemies, no arguments, no ill relationships, just perfection... Almost too good to be true. The owner of revolver has been figured out too, which is why I am so dumbfounded. How was he killed by his own weapon? Was he in a fight and got the weapon taken from him? Why did he buy it? Self defense? Why would he need that? Was he a cautious person?"
The police officer thought for a while and said, "regarding his wife's descriptions, he doesn't seem like someone who'd need, nor feel the need to buy a gun. Not only that, when we arrived he was unrestrained! Did the killer take off whatever bindings he had used after killing him? That makes no sense!
"That leaves me with only one explanation..."
The lights turned on and the wife asked, "did any of what I just said help with the investigation?"
The officer's eyes lingered sadly on the wife and said with calm, and careful tone, "I only have one more question."
"Yes?" The wife stood nervously in anticipation.
"Did your husband ever seem-"
...
"I see. So that was the reason for his death..." The officer muttered. "What was it? Please tell me, I can take it!"
The officer closed his eyes and said with a solemn tone, "the reason for Richard Golemn's death... Is suicide."
"S-Suicide!? But why!?!?" The wife said loudly in both extreme confusion and sorrow!
"The reason... Was-" Then the dark red curtains closed once more, and the light turned dim.
...
"I knew it!" Caius said proudly. The two beside him looked at him together and asked, "what did you know?"
Caius smiled, revealing his aged wrinkles and said, "that it was suicide. Just wait and see, this will be interesting." The two nodded and leaned back, waiting for the explanation.
"Sythrik. You asked whether or not I liked this show right? Well, I can say with full certainty that I like this. It was a bit predictable, but other than that, the emotions, the story, everything fits my criteria to a tee." Caius said with full confidence.
Sythrik wanted to respond, but before he did, the curtains retracted once more. The scenery was the same as when Richard was tied to a chair, toyed with, tested, and killed. However, Richard was alone, untied to the chair and sweated uncontrollably!
He sat there, grunting as if his mouth was covered by some unrelenting piece of tape. He muttered and gnawed, despite being free.
Suddenly, he shivered as if a piece of tape was ripped off of him and screamed, "AGHHHHH!!!"
His face was wrapped in fear, staring above his shoulder. There was nothing there, yet he stared.
He shed a tear and started to apologize repeatedly!
He apologized again as if though he was forced to, and then, once more. Louder, and more panicked.
He suddenly fell to the floor, squirmed around and asked, "W-Who are you?!"
A moment went by and he pulled out a revolver from his hidden holster beneath his spine. He looked forward, frightened and confused as he pointed the weapon toward his forehead.
"Click!"
It didn't go off, the bullet remained silent, the round was empty. He looked up in fear and said, "but that's my name..." His finger slowly pressed down on the trigger... Then, he smiled. "Click"
"PANG!"
His form fell over as a hole appeared in his head, blurting out blood in massive pools and soon, his eyes lost color...
The curtains closed, and the theater stood in awe, clapping restlessly...