“Oh, dear. That is quite a dilemma.”
Rosandra waited for As-The-Spider-Weaves-And-Weaves-Again to continue, doing her best to stay patient. Her demonic moral development research project had been slow going so far, but this could finally be the progress she needed to get her faculty advisor to take her seriously.
“The suffering of five humans facing their rapidly-impending gruesome demise is exquisite, certainly; but compared to just one who believes themself to have escaped danger, only to suddenly be marked for death… And confronted with the knowledge that another actively chose to murder them, rather than the five dying in a mere accident…” It licks its lips. “I suppose personally, I’ve always favored quality over quantity. Although – these humans who’ve all been tied up at the same train junction, are they acquainted with one another? If the one on the other track were forced to live with the guilt and isolation of being the only survivor among their group of friends, when their death alone could have saved all the others – that might well be the best of both worlds, wouldn’t it… Oh! Can I hand the lever to one of the five on the main track, force them to make the choice? But then I suppose that having control of the situation themselves could just as easily create assurance and purpose, rather than guilt and recrimination… You humans really do come up with such devious conundra!”
Rosandra, face in hands, had long since stopped taking notes. “Why am I doing this…” she groaned. “Why are you going along with this, even? Wouldn’t you rather be off pouring molten lead in people’s eyesockets, or whatever the h – whatever it is you do all day?”
“Oh, that sort of thing has never been my cup of tea. Psychological torment is so much richer,” As-The-Spider-Weaves-And-Weaves-Again grinned. It always did love a long game.