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?

The sun flashing in their eyes like car lights on a dark night, the wind telling secrets in their ear, each dressed in their sunday best. You’d be forgiven for thinking this was a typical family lunch - which it would be, if this was a typical family.

“Are we going to talk about what happened?” Jess asked cutting the silence like a knife.

Juniper, with her hair tucked neatly into her burnt orange dress, leaned across the table with a look of aggitation, “We will have no mention of this again!”

“I…I just wanted a balloon” Jake muttered quietly.

“and just look what that got us… you’re stuck with that baloon forever, we all are…” Jess snapped.

“Do you think I want to be 15 forever?” Jake snarled back.

“Do you think I want…” “THATS ENOUGH!” Juniper interrupted, “We will have no mention of this again” she repeated.

Silence fell over the table like a heavy curtain, leaving only the sounds of quiet steam rising from the tea cups.

The wind blowing, carrying the smell of fresh air, traveling however far the wind takes it. The candle scent fading ever so slightly. The tablecloth, following the way of the wind. The sky, a clear blue, and the treats and drinks set up perfectly. One would think that a tea party would be filled with chatter and laugher, but here its silent. The only noise is the sound of the wind howling and a watch ticking. I could make conversation with them, but it’ll be pointless…..after all the dead can’t talk. Their corpses stiff and unmoving. Rigor mortis in full effect. Although that wouldn’t change much. Corpses posed and covered in wax, forever sealed in those positions.A work of art I dare say. Like a photo forever incased and unmoving. From an outside persective it looks like seven people happily chatting away without a care in the world, the truth couldn’t be farther. _Sigh. _I remember as clear as day how they were before. Tasteless, arrogant, and no regard for anyone other then themselves, well at least now they can finally be good…..they can finally be perfect. Mamoka, my most recent perfection, her red hair as shiney as ever and her smile forever up. If only the whole world could be as perfect as my tea party, controlled, beautiful, and not a flaw in sight. Usaigi, my next target. Her eyes begging to be freed, mouth covered in glue, it doesn’t matter if it gets damaged, I could always make a new one when I make her one of my wax statues. She’s the final piece to my puzzle, the final touch of art, the last move of the game. __ __ “If you keep trying to remove the rope, you’re only going to end up cutting yourself, so its pointless. Although, the sound of the rope cutting into your skin leaving it more bruised and bloodly, isn’t doing you any favors and it’s really starting to irritate me you know. Its distracting and I’m trying to think of how I sould pose you. Perhaps i’ll just cast you in that simple pose. Don’t worry, you’ll get used to the pain. The wax only burns in the beginning, you’ll get used to it. But I suppose your right, I should get started on making you perfect. Afterall, this whole thing was your idea, sister. I’m only finishing what you asked of me. Though I guess you never meant for yourself to become one of our perfect creations, but even still, I believe I like you better this way. Tears running down your face, wrists bloody and raw, eyes begging for it to end, and most of all the way your silent untalking. I mean it is a silent party afterall.”

Her eyes twisted left and right across the table yet she couldn’t make sense what was in front of her. They were people. However, they were different. Their clothing was more odd. They sat with her at a blue clothed table in a round circle, all celebrating with their for and wine. In the center of the table was a large bowl of fruit. Apples, strawberries, and bannas were all on full display. But, the people paid no mind to the table. They kept their eyes on each other. The woman to her right, who kept eyeing her. She wore a long, white dress that touched the floor. It was sinched together by her big red ribbion that tied into a bow. You could see the slightest drop of blood on it if it were not covered by her drooling black hair.

I sat in my red and blue dress at the table with my mom, aunts, and sister. They all enjoyed the little clown act my aunt had hired, especially my sister, the redhead, who was getting handed the balloon. But I couldn’t even look up at the man, I just felt sick. I couldn’t eat anything. I was the only one without a plate of food sitting in front of me, I just had my head down. If they knew too, they’d all feel sick. It wouldn’t be just me. Those joyful smiles would be replaced with frowns of horror. If only they knew that, that birthday clown, the same one who’s making them smile and laugh with joy, was the same man who killed our father. I would watch as their gleeful smiles turned into tears and anger. If only they knew.

London based American new mother Beth flies to Croatia for a holiday with her best friend Kate. Beth confides that her marriage has hit a full patch and that she is uncertain what to do. They go clubbing and two men flirt with them. Kate suggests Beth have a one night stand. The next morning Beth wakes up foggy about the night’s events and realizes Kate is missing. Her husband Rob and the police are indifferent but Zain the taxi driver who drove them to the club agrees to help. Beth recovers Kate’s purse and phone after Zain threatens one of the men from the previous evening and learns that the men from the club escorts hired by Kate. However they are also con men who and drug and rob the women they service. Beth returns to the police who start an official investigation. Rob arrives in Croatia and immediately suspects Zain. Shortly after Kate’s body is found. Beth searches Kate’s phone for clues and finds text messages between Rob and Kate revealing an extramarital affair. Beth is called into the police station as the primary suspect. It is revealed that both Kate and Beth had drugs in their systems as Beth suspect due to her memory loss and she insists she was drugged. The police interview the escorts who have no criminal history and deny any wrongdoing. The police confiscate Beth’s passport. Beth calls Rob and confronts him about the affair. The police arrest Beth accusin her of hiring Zain to murder Kate. Beth confronts him but he maintains his innocence. Beth discovers her airbnb host Sebastian records his renters. Footage shows Beth was put in bed early the night Kate went missing. It shows Kate getting robbed by the escorts entering a taxi follow them and returning later in another car. Beth discovers the car belongs to Pavić the policeman who doubted her story. Beth and Zain interview the taxi driver who drove Kate that night. He said Kate had him follow the two men and he dropped her off at the police station. Beth is named a suspected murder and she and Zain are arrested. Beth figures out that Pavić was involved in Kate’s disappearance. Zain gives himself up so beth can escape but she is caught by Pavić. They struggle and he falls off the building to his death. The police believe that Pavić killed Kate when she rejected his advances and Beth is declared innocent. Back in London Rob wants to reconcile but Beth refuses. While looking for car keys she finds beads from a necklace she gave Kate in Rob’s coat pocket. She realizes Rob killed Kate and confronts him while on the line with the police. He admits he flew to Croatia to stop Kate from revealing their affair argued with her and pushed her into the water before running off. The police arrest him Beth leaves with her baby.

At tea… “So… anything happen lately?” Rose asks** very cautiously**. “Red? You K?” Jane asks, incredibly bored. Red responds, “I’m fine, Jane, and by the way I got better at archery.” “Interesting” Elsie comments. Red yells “AAHHH! WHY IS IT SO QUIET?!?!” “Well now it isn’t! Thanks a lot. Red.” Bennie snapped. “Who was there? Who was in the hall?” A voice came from a chair that had a person who seemingly disappeared. Elsie, Red and Jane were in the hall. Rose and Bennie weren’t there at all and Laurel and Ayala were there. 2? There were 3 in the room. Strange…

This is the curse of the circus.

Description Melody Carson has been in the same class as Tyson McCannon since primary school. She's watched him play with girls, set the school on fire, skip classes, prank teachers, smoke behind the school, break the law, get into fights with other guys for fun and even watched him get suspended for three weeks. He always ruins everything and never does what he is told. Melody has hated him since the day he set foot in her school and luckily he has never noticed her. That is, until now. Tyson has set his eyes on Melody and won't stop until he gets what he wants. And he wants her.