“I told you that I’m not sure about your whole friends group.” Mikel adjusted his suit black blazer. He spied himself in one of the large windows that they were passing by. Dressed to the nines in ninety degree weather heading into some massive castle on the outskirts of town. His girlfriend, Melody, strung him along.
“Ah, don’t worry they will love you as much as I do.” They came to the massive front door which was covered in ornate cast iron figures. Melody spun and adjusted Mikels jacket again and looked him over. “You look fantastic” she smiled. Her skin olive and her eyes a deep crimson, her face perfectly symmetrical. Her hair a combination of dark brown and dirty blonde sat in a long pony tale high on the back of her head and bangs framed her face. “In we go”
They entered with out any fan fair. The whole place seemed empty, but as Melody lead him down corridors and around sweeping stair cases he could hear the laughter and commotion of a party.
They made their way in the back and there was a large conservatory made out of glass. Like a massive green house, a forest resided inside. They entered and found where the party was. Dressed in the most posh, fancy outfits he had ever seen, young adults such as him self clinked glasses full of dark wine and conversated over elaborate place settings. As they entered some eyes moved towards them, but most seemed to ignore. Melody pulled Mikel towards the table on the far side, which stood inform one of some forest entrance that went deepened into the glass labyrinth. As soon as they reached their seats a squad of girls dressed in massive ball gowns glided towards them.
“Melody!” A girl in a red princess dress shot up and gave her a hug “Glad you could make it this time, we missed you so dearly last time. We had almost given up hope that you would join us again” The two other girls nodded in agreement.
“Well, it has been a while hasn’t it? This is my boyfriend, Mikel” She moved to the side bit and let him step forward. Mikel extended his hand for a shake which the girl took it aggressively. She yanked a bit and he stumbled trying to keep form falling into her. Her eyes shot straight into his then crept down all the way to his feet then back at his eyes.
“Pleasure, Amanda, behind to the right in green is Jezebel, Yellow, Sadie. We hope you make it the whole night” A grin lit up her face and her eyes flashed something primal. Melody slinked between them softly, but firmly taking Mikels hand and stepping back.
“Pleasure to meet all of you as well” he said massaging his hand a bit.
Melody smiled sweetly to them and waved them off to talk again later.
“What was that?” Mikel asked as they both sat down. Melody face was fraught with a frown and she grinder her teeth as she glared around the room.
“That was uncalled for” Melody scowled between frowns. “Maybe this was a mistake” he could barely hear her say.
A man dressed in a butler uniform who was as tall as the door entered and rang a small bell in his behemoth hands. “Dinner will be served” Then left as fast as he came. The other people took their seats and soon their table was filled with new guests. The three ladies were gratefully sitting at another table. Everyone that the turned to was beautiful. Their skin perfect, eyes glowing with radiance, hair full and healthy. They exhumed energy that you heard in stories of young nobles conquering lands and leading endless campaigns of war, just to return in perfect shape and throwing a party to end the world. They all knew Melody and expressed their happiness on her return. Mikel could just smile and introduce himself. He seemed like a shadow among bright stars, but they all payed deep attention to him as he spoke and drew him in with acknowledgment that he had rarely experienced.
It seemed as an army of butlers cascaded out of the castle carrying a plates of silver covered meals. They all aligned behind each person, their white knit gloved hands graping the top of the silver dome. As they all got to their position, at the same time in one smooth movement they all lifted the silver dome off the plate exposing the food.
“Oh- Fuc-“ Mikel heard Melody sigh. He had rarely heard her swear, only in the most disturbing situations. He gave her a side look, then took a look at the meal which had been prepared. His mouth fell open. Upon the plate was a hand. A human hand. Palm facing up towards him, fingers bent slightly towards the sky. It look perfectly normal, expect for the whole missing the rest of the body part. Where the wrist would be, there was as small white cloth with ruffles that covered where you could probably see the insides.
Mikel looked around the table. All plates held a hand. He spied over at Melody’s plate which also had The Thing presented. She was rubbing her eyes and leaned into him.
“I am so sorry. You don’t have to eat anything. We will go get a burger or something after, this was a huge mistake.”
He glanced around at the other who were no cutting into their ‘food’ with fork and knife. As they opened their mouth, their teeth seemed to become razors and they grinded the flesh and bone as easily as pie.
“Oh boy, oh man, are these real? Real human hands? Wheres the rest of their bodies? Oh, oh!” Mikel turned white and faced forward “Three course meal…” He went to stand up , but Melody held him down with her strength.
“No no, just make it through this. I swear they never want to have any normal fun” She released him and quickly scanned the room. No one seemed to be paying attention to them, but she knew.
The boy across the table waved a fork with a finger skewered through it and said “Mikel, what’s wrong? Not fresh enough for you?”
The funny thing is that this boy was completely serious. There was no snide in his remark.
“I had a big uh, lunch? You know - “ he searched around in his head for something that might be relatable to them “ a couple children”
Melody’s head whiplashed so hard to stare at him that he could feel the breeze it produced. The boy began to laugh.
“Well can’t argue with that. Shame that we had so much prepared for tonight. Melody should have told you, but it sounds like you had a treat.” He then bit the finger in half and shook his head still suppressing laughter as he chewed.
“Children?!” Melody whispered
“I froze, this is cannablism, what am I supposed to say? And what even are they?”
“Say a whole horse, or deer or something else. How is children your first thought?” She sighed heavily looking down at her plate.
Mikel peered at her. She wasn’t going to eat that was she? They had always made meals full of meat, but he always thought she was on some special carnivore diet.
The butlers came back to retrieve the plates. As they reached them the one paused “Not to your liking sir, madam?”
“I believe they are full from the children they had for lunch” the boy across the table interjected.
The butler grabbed both of their plates “Then second and third course, would you be partaking in either?”
“No, we actually must be going. I just wanted to stop in and see everyone” Melody pushed away from the table and stood up. She nudged Mikel and he followed.
As they walked past the tables Amanda caught sight “Leaving so soon? We were looking forward to catching up, maybe a dance or two” she smiled and took a sip of goblet of dark amber liquid.
“They had some children for lunch” the boy called from across the room. Nods of agreement came from group.
Melody rolled her eyes then shot a look towards the boy.
“Next time? Maybe” Mikel nodded and gave his best grin he could muster. He looked at them, scared out his mind, but Melody kept her cool, thus so did he.
Amanda nodded “Next time then, ta ta”
They walked out and crossed the army of butlers which were bring in long trays covered in silver again. He wondered. He imagined. The rest of them? He was interrupted by Melody pulling him forcefully from the mansion at high speed.
They made it outside and he was glad to see a normal looking country side and sun. Inside the conservatory, the sky looked different and the sun glowed a greenish yellow.
Mikel slumped against their car as Melody stared back at the castle.
“Soo” he pursed his lips “Police? FBI? CSI? Paranormal investigators? Vatican? Who uh, who do we call?”
Melody slumped next to him “None. I - I was trying to get them to help me out. Sort of bridge the gap for you…but they really messed it up. Honestly I’m shocked your not running for the hills right now”
Mikel looked around. He wouldn’t get that far “When in Rome” he shrugged “I’m guessing you are also, what ever “he motioned towards the castle swirling his hand in the air “they are? What would they be exactly?”
Melody gave a heavy sigh and searched the sky for the right words. “We are a sort of a cross between a wendigo and a vampire. Not by choice, our parent bore us this way. A new type of Mons-“ she stopped and turned away from him “creature”
He replayed their past dates and time together. There were always signs, but he just thought that she was particular or you know, quirky. An insatiable apatite, over-protective with high aggression, extremely smart and witty. You know, a noble or something.
“Well” Mikel shoved himself from the car and moved around to face Melody “I’m sure we will figure something out.” She glanced at him, her lips quivering and eyes full of tears.”What ever that might be” he said under his breath.
“Mon-Creature or whatever you might be, I love you Melody.” he shrugged “I guess, show me your world, but leave your friends till later. They really creep me out.” he said giving her a large smile. She returned it. Teeth for tearing flesh, cross his mind.
She stepped forward and snaked her arms around him. Her crimson eyes drinking him in and in her velvet voice said “I have so much to show you, Mikel. This is just the beginning.”
I had a thought of a guy being brought to a party to meet his girlfriends friends, but they all turn out to be very strange. I originally had it that they would try to eat Mikel, but changed it to a non-confrontational situation. There is some humor to it, they know Mikel is human, but as good friends (sorta) the keep their cool.