El momento más evitado había llegado. El almuerzo que tanto se había pospuesto se dio, más el retraso no perdió tiempo en ausentar a quien hubiese sido la anfitriona, Elena.

-Finalmente nos reunimos, como deseaba mi quierida hermana. Que esto nos sirva de lección, que se deben aprovechar bien los momentos que la vida nos da, porque no sabemos cuándo será el último -dijo la otra berrinchuda de Ana.

Si, es cierto, que mucho tuve que posponer por motivos de trabajo. Porque muchos no nacimos en cuna de oro como ustedes. Muchos tenemos que vivir de cheque en cheque. Mientras ustedes se daban la buena vida a causa del esfuerzo de sus ancestros y se atreven a dar lecciones morales. Bien merecido se tenía lo que le pasó. O más bien lo que ocasione. Y ahora estoy aquí, celebrando tu homenaje querida Elena, cuando pude y cuando quise.

It was the strangest tea party you ever did see. Not the least for the fact that there was no actual tea included. There was supposed to be, of course, but last second mix ups won out this time.

There was, however, wine and champagne and juice, and a little bit of strawberry milk, thanks to Elira Hollows. Like the others, Taryn Everthorne had dressed rather whimsically, as they were instructed to do. She ran a brush through her pin straight black hair, dabbled some makeup on her face, and donned her flounciest floral gown to the tea party. At which she arrived at only to discover a startling lack of tea.

Now, make no mistake. Despite the jovial appearance of the group, in all of their pastel colors, sweet treats, and party decorations, this tea party was anything but a happy affair. Taryn could feel the tensions rolling off the group in waves, and she was well aware that she was a contributing member. What else did you expect from a group of people who didn't actually know who invited them to a tea party without any tea or why they were there?

They all thought they knew, was the problem. Taryn's invite in the mail came from Elowyn Banevale, Elowyn's came from Ravana Mistborn, Ravana's came from Azmira Wolfmire, Azmira's came from Isolde Winfield, Isolde came from Elira Hollows, Elira's came from Lysara Blackbrook, and last but certainly not least, Lysara's came from Taryn Everthorne herself. A nice, neat, perfect circle.

Taryn knew what each woman thought when the opened the letter. She had the same exact thoughts herself. Surprise came first - she hadn't heard from Elowyn or the others in years. Nostalgic fondness came next. Once upon a time, they really were quite a tightknit group. They did everything together back during their school days. The next feeling that crept up her spine was dread. Nothing had been the same after that night; it's why they hadn't connected in so long. However, after a shake of the head, as if ridding her mind of the dread away entirely, joy and excitement followed and stayed. It would be wonderful to see her old crew and catch up with them all.

Now, as Taryn looked around at all of her old friends, she was taken aback by how much time had changed them while changing nothing at all. Ravana was in her signature stripes with hair much shorter than she ever wore it back at school. Meanwhile Azmira's platinum blond hair hadn't changed a bit, but that shade of red was one she never would have been caught dead in once upon a time. Isolde hadn't really changed much, with her dyed red hair and clashing pink outfits; she just had more wrinkles than before. It was astonishing, really, to see the teenagers they once were and the women they had grown into at the same time.

Lysara, ever the leader, was the first to break the silence, "We obviously didn't all invite each other here, which begs the question - who did?"

"You don't think anyone figured out-" Isolde started, but she was cut off by a very emphatic Ravana, who said,

"Absolutely not! That was years ago! There's no way."

Elira, however, brought the question back up, "Why on earth would we all have been gathered here at a tea party by some mysterious person.

The question hung in the air, as thick and heavy as the tension, which had only kept growing. Taryn looked around, wondering not for the first time, how they had come to this. They were happy as girls. They loved being around each other during their school days. They loved to play and go on adventures and make believe. They were never meant to become this - grown women harboring an unthinkable secret from a night they could never forget no matter how hard they wished they could.

Before anyone could say anything further - before any other denials or theories could be voiced - a deep, booming voice exploded around them. The voice was creepy, without a doubt, especially considering they didn't know where it came from. There was nobody else in sight, and they couldn't even pinpoint a direction it was coming from. The bodiless voice was all encompassing which was absolutely terrifying in its own right. It was the words, however, that came from the voice that paralyzed the women in horror.

YOU WILL HIDE NO LONGER! I KNOW WHAT THE SEVEN OF YOU DID TO SORELLA WEAVER AT THE TEA PARTY ON THE FINAL NIGHT OF HER LIFE, AND YOU WILL PAY!

Lemon custard, boysenberry, cucumber petit sandwich, chocolate biscuits. All words with no meaning. Attached to the women surrounding me who consume them without thought. Their curves pay them no mind. The others who were born slender and fine. I wonder if any of them realize it took me two hours to get out of bed this morning. The red dress adorned on me sits in a way that covers most of my flaws. But my face exposes the ones that run even deeper. They say to keep moving. They say to continue living. But how can you live if you are already dead.

Not only my mind but my soul. I died two years ago in the forest. No one came looking but no one was suspicious. I exist now in their minds, being summoned when they need an extra person at the party table or another “friend” that must be gifted an absurdly expensive dress to receive one even more absurdly expensive. I guess this endless loop will never cease to exist.

She had waited all afternoon for them to arrive. After the long wait, black cars finally started to roll in, each carrying one of the members of the team party. But it wasn’t an ordinary tea party. They were all blind folded, their hands behind their backs, struggling to set free. The men in black held them roughly, leading them to the table. One by one they were forced onto their chairs and then….. the rope that had held the platform all along was snapped, and that slash was to set the platform high in the air, levitated using balloons. The “guests” were asked to remove their blindfolds, each of them panicking, except the girl in red. It was her plan all along. They were her “friends” to begin with. But she hated them all, despised them, wanted to end them. This was the last party they would have, together. They would die and she would too.

It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon. Perfect for the girls and Ross to get together to have some tea and spill the tea on the new girl who just moved in down the block. Lindsey, who loves to do deep dives and figure everything out that she can about her neighbors.

The chirping of birds was thing that woke me up. It wasn’t a bad soud per say; just unusual for a place like New York City. I blinked my eyes open slowly, trying to get the bluriness to go away. When I slowly came to I noticed the place Beneath me was hard. Not like my mattress at all.

Did I fall asleep at bar last night? That’s doesn’t seem likely though, Mike would have definitely kicked me out of his bar.

My eyes cleared after I placed my hand on a table…a table with a pretty blue cloth over it. I glanced up with squinting eyes; it was bright. Oddly bright. I wasn’t the only person here, there were about six others. A guy with a ugly black and white stripped shirt, a bright redheaded girl with a whimsical type pink dress, a older lady who was wearing a burnt orange and black accented dress; a dress you would definitely see in a period drama on Netflix. Actually all of women were dressed in a similar style. One of the two blonde headed women was wearing a blue dress smillar to the cloth that laid on the table and the other in a ruby red dress with a blue stripe around her puff sleeves and waist. There was one other guy that had shoulder length blonde hair and and wore a navy blue coat and red undershirt.

I finally looked down at myself. I definitely wasn’t wearing my usual oversized sweater and ripped jeans. A pastel foral dress with lots of tulle decorated my body. My dark raven hair stood out against the soft pinks, purples and blues of the flowers on my dress. I glanced back up and around at my surroundings with pure bewilderedment and confusion. We were on a boat structure of some sort; the clear blue water mocked my reflection. Party balloons surrounded us at the table and a huge umbrella towered over us. The table was full of sweet deserts and mouth watering food.

It was like a party; and like all of the other times in my life I didn’t want to be invited to this one.

I glanced back at the strangers who were staring at me. Some wore terrified expressions while others wore angry. Oh crap, did I get roofied?

The man with the black and white stripped shirt wore a bored expression and could apparently read my mind.

“Yeah, we probably got roofied” He states bluntly.

By the end of this party, one of them would be dead.

Alice took a sip of her tea and looked around at the others. Simon was telling a story that must be amusing, because Sandy and Clara both stared at him intently. To her left, Imogene and Kathy were chatting about the latest sport that Imogene’s son was participating in (badmitton from the sound of it), and to her right Sarah sat quietly, one hand folded in her lap and the other holding a half eaten scone. Sarah was new to this group and seemed to still be figuring out where she fit in.

Alice studied her. Her light pink dress complimented her fair skin and stiking brown hair. Sarah sensed that Alice was looking at her and looked her way, giving a shy smile.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” Alice asked her and Sarah nodded polietly, setting her scone back on her plate.

“Oh yes, very much so. I’m so grateful to have been invited!”

“How do you know Sandy again?”

Alice and Sandy had been friends for more than 20 years, growing up together in Atlanta. The rest of the people at the table had joined their ranks over the years and lately they formed a tight knit circle of friends that Alice couldn’t live without. Today’s gathering was to celebrate Sandy’s birthday (a little belated). When Alice had arrived she was pleased to see Simon had joined them as well, but surprised to see a new face at their table.

Sarah looked around the table, seemingly studying each person, before facing Alice once more. Her lips turned into a sinister smile. “I’m a colleague,” she said and took a sip of her tea.

Across the table, Sandy started sputtering and coughing, grabbing her throat. All at once everyone stood up to help. Simon immediately started pounding Sandy on the back. Clara was screaming help, and Imogene was shouting “she’s choking!”.

“Should I call 9-1-1?” Kathy yelled and pulled her phone out of her purse.

Alice turned to her right, but Sarah was gone. Alice looked all around them, but there was no sight of her. As she turned back towards the group, she noticed a piece of paper on the table next to the tea pot. She picked it up, turned it over and read the name.

“Don’t drink the -“ she started to scream, but around her everyone had stopped making noise. It was too late.

This time tomorrow she will be dead.

   Her chocolate brown hair mocks me, it was the one thing I loved about her. To see her smile with him how she used to smile with me shatters my heart In a million pieces. She doesn’t know what I’ve seen, I have to sit here with her family and pretend our life and our love is precious when really.. it couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Even though it’s my birthday, all I wanted was to be left alone, but mom insisted that we have a get together with the whole family. As I look around the only thing in my mind is, how did we get to this place?

Growing up in a suburb with the classic family dynamic, you would’ve thought that we would’ve been the normal boring family. The dad with a full-time job providing for his family while a mom stays at home, taking care of the children. we were all loved and had our own journeys growing up, but I never thought our path would lead down this road.

The golden rays of sunlight spilled through the open window, casting shadows of figures hunched over their food in silence. They were all dressed their best—some wearing garments adorned with jewels and luxurious fabrics, others simply putting on their shirts that they would usually wear on a Sunday. Saturdays like these were times to relax; days wear the pressure of work could be taken off your shoulders for just a moment. But on this Saturday, none of the people sitting down at a small dining room table would have expected to be invited to a tea party with a room full of strangers.

They all sat around a table flourished with foods and drinks that they had only imagined to be a luxury once before. Each of them had received a letter that morning; an invite to a party in the high kingdom where royals and rich property owners usually dwelled. While they were each suspicious of the request, they obliged, searching for answers as to why they of all people would be invited to something prestigious as an offer to dine in a hall of riches. The ones invited to dine came from different backgrounds and levels of status—but they were all similar in one way.

Couteroy Blanke was a praised comedian, often used to the odd glances he got from others around his town. The strange way he dressed, his malnourished figure, and his awfully pale skin were some of the things that got him noticed while he was simply walking the streets. He covered his insecurities with stage makeup, very rarely taking it off as if it were a mask he could hide behind.

Lady Johnson was a woman who could only be described as submissive. While she was a very complicated character, most of her personality stemmed from her awful husband: the Duke. He attempted to control her, forcing her to spend time at home with their two year old child while he went off to work every day. Despite their obvious torn marriage, they still managed to keep their relationship in tact for many years before the Duke divorced her and unfairly took all of her belongings. She still kept her ex-husband’s last name, not bothering to mourn over her future and instead focus on the memories of the past.

The Emberly triplets sat apart from the rest, nervously picking at their food and not bothering to utter a word. Although they all looked exactly the same, it was clear how hard they strived to be different from each other. Mary Anne Emberly played with her hair that had been forced into long brunette coils the night before. As beautiful as they were, it was clear that she had wanted her hair to be different from her sisters’ naturally pin-straight locks. Morticia Emberly on the other hand had put up her hair into a simple ponytail that trailed down to the start of her shoulder blades. She wore a majestic dark red dress that stood out among her other sisters’ clothing. Paired with lacey white gloves and a glass of wine, she almost looked older than the rest of her family.

I hungrily scarfed down my meal, not bothering to make useless small talk like the rest of the people sitting around the table. I had already concluded their personalities just based on their looks, figuring out almost everything about each and every one of them. For some of them, it was obvious how they acted just by their attempts to start an awkward conversation or the way they slouched against their chairs. Some of them scraped their eggs and bacon around on their plates with their forks, others devoured their food as if they hadn’t eaten in ages. But really, their personalities didn’t make it easier to figure out their desires—it was perfectly obvious that we were all waiting for the host of the meal to make his way through the door. To explain why we were all here.

Only I knew what was really going on. In their eyes, I could see that none of them were suspecting it. They were focused on avoiding an increasingly awkward situation, not finding out why this meal brought them all together. Only I was the one who knew the host’s true malicious intentions.

After all, who would believe that an innocent little tea party in the richest part of the kingdom would reveal where the third Emberly triplet went?