Sudoku 2: The
Interview
by Michael S.
Collins
Mimsy sat,
unresponsive. Her expression was one of someone
who had just found their best friend dead and as
such had helped the police. She, however, had not
spoken. Whilst the police had made headway with
the evidence her expression had given them, the
reporter she was currently not talking to was
less enamoured.
“What the
viewers want to know”, said the reporter,
“is did the murder of your best friend have
anything to do with this cursed videotape.”
“No”
said the girl with her eyes. Her expression
continued to do the talking.
“OK. What
about the rumours about the killer Sudoku puzzle?”
Mimsy bolted
up in her chair, her hair falling straight, her
mouth opening in horror.
“Who told
you about Sudoku?” she said.
“It’s
just a question” answered the reporter, but
the girl panicked. Her eyes darted around the
room, looking for answers, until they fell upon a
discarded newspaper in a nearby bin. Suddenly,
she started screaming, and screaming, and the
hospital wardens rushed in to sedate her into a
sobbing mess.
The interview
was over.
The reporter
turned to her cameraman as they left the room.
“So what
do you think?” she said.
“Bit of a
nutter, really.” he said.
“Well, I
figured you'd say that.” Asha bit the end of
her pen slowly. Kommie the cameraman (that wasn't
his real name, it was a nickname based on his
political affiliations) smiled behind his
unnecessary sunglasses.
“Clearly
there's some sort of evil curse going
around” he said.
“Oh, I
agree”, said Asha, “That makes perfect
sense. Nothing else would make sense here.”
Asha was prone
to pronouncements like this. Kommie had learnt to
encourage them for his own amusement. They
started (or continued, they weren't paying too
much attention) walking down the hallway, past
the screaming patients.
“So”,
said Kommie, “What have we learnt from this
visit to the Sudoku Survivors Ward.”
“Something’s
up.”
“Fair
enough, I'm off home. My wife and kids are just
back from a long stay in Japan, and I'm looking
forward to spending lots and lots of
uninterrupted family time with them.”
“OK. Fine.
You do that.” said Asha, still absent-mindedly
biting on the pen. “I'm away to buy a
newspaper.”
“Oh that's
a good idea; I best buy one for the wife. She
love's those number puzzles.”
...continued in 'Sudoku 3:
Trouble Brews'
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