Time Tapping

“Wait—none of us were killed the same way?” Sai asked.

Everyone shook their heads.

“But there was a hooded figure, right?”

“Well… I didn’t really see the attacker. I just saw an axe… then blacked out,” Corvin said.

“I did see someone,” Mira added. “Thought it might’ve been one of my club members, so I tried talking to them.” She pointed to a puncture-like scar on her throat. “I remember the raising of a bow and the arrow flying. Then… nothing.”

“Uhm,” Eira raised her hand hesitantly. “I walked into the person by accident—ran into his back. I tried to apologize, but then I noticed he had a weapon. I tried to shield myself but… yeah.”

Mira reached out and gently patted Eira’s head.

“Yeah, I saw the guy too,” Reith said. “He was holding a scythe, so I backed off. He swung at me, so I moved in and shoved him. Then came the second swing.”

He traced the scar across his side, staring blankly ahead.

Sai’s eye twitched. I thought maybe there was a connection in how we got here… but it’s not quite the same.

“Well… I guess it’s close enough,” he muttered.

His twitching eye drew looks from the others—some concerned, and some just confused, like Corvin’s. Reith, meanwhile, had wandered to the middle of the room, eyes fixed on the clock. It’s hands jumping with each passing second, unlike Reith himself—who stood almost motionless, save for his foot tapping in perfect rhythm.

Time passed. Maybe an hour. Reith still stood there, tapping. The others had settled into a loose circle on the floor.

“Alright, let’s go over this again,” Sai said, scratching the side of his head. He pointed at Mira. “You were shot after leaving…?”

He twirled his finger in a circular motion to prompt her.

“Archery practice,” she answered slowly.

“Right.” Sai tapped his temples with both hands, then pointed at Corvin. “And you died after studying—”

“Yup. Thanks for reminding me—my death was totally painless. Appreciate it.”

Corvin said dryly, sitting cross-legged, one arm resting on his knee with his chin in his hand.

“No, I mean… what were you studying?”

Corvin shrugged, almost bored. “Viking history.”

“Great… Eira!”

She jumped slightly at Sai’s raised voice. “Yes?”

“Wait—sorry. Uhm… you’re Buddhist, right?”

Eira blinked. “Uh, well, sort of? How did you know?”

Sai pointed at the necklace she wore—a pendant shaped like a stylized sun. “I guessed. Because of that.”

“Oh. I see.” Eira placed her hand over it. “It’s a family thing.”

Sai nodded thoughtfully. “Okay, I think I might be onto something.” He turned toward the back. “Hey, Reith!”

The only response was a silent wave. Reith didn’t look away from the clock, still tapping his foot.

Sai’s eye twitched again. Corvin noticed.

“HEY, COULD YOU CONTRIBUTE, TAPPY?!” he shouted.

Reith gave a thumbs-up without turning around.

“Ah well, I tried,” Corvin said with a sigh. “Please, continue the entertainment, Sai.” Corvin leaned back, fingers intertwined behind his head.

Sai leaned back as well, hands bracing him from behind. He exhaled.

“Okay, so—Mira was shot with an arrow after archery. Corvin, you were attacked with an axe—something Vikings used, which connects to your studies.”

Corvin nodded in agreement.

“And Eira—Buddhism. The weapon used on you was a naginata, right? That was used by Buddhist warrior monks. So… my theory is that the weapons used to kill us are somehow tied to us. Personally.”

He shrugged at the end, uncertain.

Reith suddenly turned his head slightly toward the group, then back again.

“Farmers,” he said, out of nowhere.

Everyone looked at him.

“My family. We’re farmers. I’ve used a scythe before—more than once.”

That added a strange but convincing weight to Sai’s theory. The group sat in silence for a moment, processing it. All except Corvin.

“So… hate to be that guy, but what does a sword have to do with you?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Argh…” Sai groaned and laid flat on the ground. “I don’t really know. My brother’s the one obsessed with swords. The only times I ever picked one up were when we were playing as kids.”

“Well…” Corvin flopped back too. “That’s still a connection.”

He looked up at the ceiling. “I mean—your brother’s someone dear to you, I’d assume. So I’d call that a connection.”

Sai smiled “Yea guess so”

Mira smirked mischievously. “Well, look at that—Corvin being mature for once.”

She laid back just like them. Eira followed.

“Shut… up,” Corvin mumbled jokingly.

The group fell quiet for a while, laying in stillness. The only sound came from Reith’s foot tapping against the ground, steady and precise.

“Hey! Knock it off—I want to sleep!” Corvin grumbled.

No change not even a blink.

“REITH. Shut. UP!”

Still nothing.

“Could you maybe… tap a little quieter?” Mira asked gently.

“Good try, Mira,” Corvin muttered. “But seems like the weirdo does what the weirdo wants.”

To everyone’s surprise, the tapping stopped.

Then—barely audible—Reith began tapping his fingers against his leg instead.

“Well, okay then, dipshit,” Corvin muttered to himself in defeat, just quiet enough that Reith wouldn’t hear.

Mira, however, did hear—and grinned.

“Thank you, Reith!” she called out toward him.

Reith gave a sigh, then raised a thumb in response. A sly smile crept across Mira’s lips as she turned away and closed her eyes.

Eventually, everyone settled into sleep—except for Reith. He remained seated, still watching the clock. It was nearing five in the morning. As the seconds ticked closer to the exact hour, Reith’s tapping grew more deliberate. He began tapping his entire hand now instead of just a finger, perfectly in sync with the jumping of the quiet hands of the clock.

Then, as the seconds hand and minute hand hit the twelve—precisely at 5:00 a.m.—he stopped.

His eyes narrowed, a faint look of confusion on his face.

“Interesting,” he muttered.

He stood silently for a moment, seemingly deep in thought, drawing the attention of only one person—Corvin.

“Freakin’ weirdo,” Corvin whispered to himself, watching him with one eye half-open.

Then, with no warning, Reith let himself fall backward like a trust fall, landing flat on the ground. He lay there completely still.

Corvin blinked, confused. “Truly a weirdo,” he muttered, then finally closed his eyes.

A moment later, Reith did the same.