As the dinner party rushed to the main staircase, they were greeted with the sight of Sophia. She was standing at the top landing, eyes wide and horrified.

"Oh, come quick! Quick!" she exclaimed, waving her arms frantically. It was hard to tell in the dim lighting, but something about her pink gown seemed unclean to Albert; as the young lady took off running, he did not have time to ponder. He, along with William, Augusta, Dr. Gramheist, and Jerome all raced up the stairs.

As they each got to the top step, they quickly noticed things were a mess. On the floor not far from Sophia's seal room was a spilled plate of mussels and potatoes, scattered about as if dropped or tossed in a haphazard manner. There was also blood everywhere- it was splattered on the walls and a dark trail dripped down the hallway floor. It was not hard to see where it was coming from; not more than fifteen feet away lay Jane, Jerome the butler's wife and the family cook, facedown on the ground. Sophia knelt by her side, though she did not touch the injured woman.

"Jane!" Jerome cried in horror, as he ran over to her.

"Oh my!" Augusta gasped, holding a hand up to her mouth to cover her shock. As Jerome knelt beside Jane and rolled her over, it was obvious from a deep wound across her neck that her throat had been cut.

"What-What is going on?!" William exclaimed, unable to contain his fear.

"That woman is dead," answered Dr. Gramheist, quite calm and scientifically, "it explains the blood along the walls-"

"-That's not what he means, you buffoon!" snapped Augusta, "Oh, has anyone checked on the baby?" She took off down the hall in the opposite direction towards the nursery.

"And what of my wife! Is Minnie okay?!" William rushed by the carnage on the floor and towards the master suite. Jerome, tears streaming down his face, stared painfully at his deceased spouse.

"Oh, Jane, Jane," he wailed, "What am I going to tell Jack?"

Sophia looked over to Albert and Dr. Gramheist. She of course did not recognize the doctor, but she gave her cousin a sympathetic look.

"I found her like this," she said sadly, "I was in my room...I was sleeping...and I heard a thumping sound outside and when I opened my door, she...she was..." Tears swelled up once again in her eyes. Sophia had done alot of crying this day, and it seemed unlikely to stop.

"Oh, so you must be Sophia," Dr. Gramheist remarked, again remaining rather cold in light of the situation, "I had not imagined I'd meet you this way, but pleased to make your acquaintance. I'm the doctor."

Sophia stared blankly back at the portly man. "Oh, are...are you here to see Minnie, then?"

"Doctor, can't you help my poor Jane?!" Jerome cried, his wife remaining motionless in his arms.

"No, and no, I'm afraid, to both of your questions," the doctor replied. "Sophia, I'm here to see you."

"See...me...?"

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

"Yes, I understand you've been having some episodes." He looked at the blood coating the walls. "I can see things are getting worse and worse."

Sophia rose to her feet, taking a few steps back. Her father had only just sent for Dr. Gramheist- how was he already here? "Doctor...I...I haven't been having any episodes! And this...this wasn't me! I just told you, I heard a noise and found her like this! That's why I screamed and..." she looked pleadingly to Albert, "Albert, tell him! You know I'm not responsible for this! Tell him!"

Albert took in the sight of the gruesome scene. It was quite messy and ghastly in the hallway at the moment- Jerome's pained wailing and the blood stains, now apparent on Sophia's gown, did little to help with her innocence. Yet, as had been the case since their arrival to the island, deep down Albert just knew, somehow, this wasn't the doing of his beloved cousin. But what other explanation could there be....?

"Why, Miss Dilly?" Jerome suddenly asked, not giving Albert time to reply, "why did you have to do this to my Jane? My lovely Jane, my son's mother? My..." he couldn't continue, his voice so pained. Sophia, too, looked quite pained at the accusation.

"I...I didn't..." she sobbed, "Jane was so good...I never would..."

"Well, it sounds like this is a classic case of multiple personality disorder," Dr. Gramheist sighed, "I had hoped that wouldn't be the case because those are always nasty but that must be what's going on here."

"What?" Albert turned to the older man.

"Obviously, Sophia did this."

"What? Doctor, Sophia just said she didn't do any of this-"

"And I'm sure she truly believes she hasn't," Dr. Gramheist continued, "I don't suppose SOPHIA would ever do anything this terrible." He turned to the upset woman in pink. "But you weren't Sophia when you committed this awful act, were you?"

Sophia shot a look to Albert. "Albert, please say you know I didn't do this..."

"You were Sealman, your other personality," theorized Dr. Gramheist, "Yes, yes, this is all making sense to me now...SEALMAN is the crazy, dangerous personality, SOPHIA is the meek, lovely personality..."

"I DIDN'T DO THIS!" Sophia screamed, startling those present, "I AM NOT CRAZY!"

Once more, in a fit of tears, she took off running, passing Albert and Dr. Gramheist to hurry down the stairs.

"Doctor!" Albert exclaimed, feeling a need to defend his beloved, "You haven't even properly examined Sophia! How can you possibly think she has multiple personalities?!"

"It...It makes sense..." Jerome tearfully remarked from his place on the floor, "Sophia...she could never hurt my Jane like this..."

"A-And she didn't!" Albert protested.

"But...she had to..." Jerome sorrowfully answered, "Who else was here? Oh, Jane, I'm so sorry I sent you up here alone..."

Albert swallowed hard. Jerome was right- who else was up here who was able enough to do such damage? But he still couldn't bring himself to even think his cousin, crazed or not, capable of such violence.

"I've seen cases like this before," Dr. Gramheist said, remaining calm and collected, "I'm an old hat at diagnosing them now. Doesn't take much observation to know what's gone on here. I am completely convinced Sophia is crazy and has more than one personality inside her." He sort of nodded to himself as if to confirm that were his thoughts.

Albert had heard enough. "I'm going to find Sophia," he softly announced, pushing by the doctor and racing off down the stairs.

As soon as he had left, William came sprinting back down the hall.

"Minnie's still in bed, undisturbed," he announced, relieved, but noticed only Dr. Gramheist and the bereft Jerome present. "Where did everyone go?! I need to speak to Sophia at once!"

"She has taken off in tears," the Doctor answered, "as has her cousin. Well, not in tears, but after her. He did not like my diagnosis that she is insane."

William did a double-take. "Insane?! Officially? Are you sure?" His eyes then followed the blood spatter on the wall. "I...I suppose you must be right."

"I am quite sure," Doctor Gramheist replied.

Augusta now ran down the hall, though her expression was far from relaxed like her former brother-in-law's had been on his return.

"Baby Horace!" she explained, out of breath. She hadn't moved so quickly like that for years and her body was not made for such hurrying.

"Yes, is he alright?" William asked.

Augusta shook her head. "Oh, William, I'm sorry- baby Horace is missing!"