11 course meal

Kara sat at the dinner table surrounded by her laughing family. This time of year was always her favorite, it meant she got to see distant family that only came to visit for the holidays. Her favorite cousin sat next to her chatting away about some new guy she was interested in. Kara tried to pay attention but she was overwhelmed by the sounds of talking and laughter and by the delicious smells coming from the kitchen. Her family usually cooked at her grandmother's house but for some reason this year her grandmother, mother, and aunts had rented out a large manor with a giant kitchen. She wasn't sure why they felt like wasting money of this extravagant home for one meal but it wasn't her money and she was just looking forward to enjoying the amazing food .

Her cousin stopped talking and it snapped kara out of her thoughts. She looked over at her and her cousin Krissy looked like she was waiting on something. Had she asked a question and Kara miss it. Apologizing for being lost in thought Kara asked Krissy to please repeat the question. Krissy got a sort of half annoyed half playful look before muttering about "same ole scattered Kara". "So what do u think of this home?" Krissy asked playfully snacking Kara on the shoulder. "oh it's ok kara stated her mind drifting again as her stomach growled in anticipation. Krissy opened her mouth to speak again but was cut of as the kitchen door swung open wide and her aunt's and mother exited with almost military pression. They each carried a platee full of appetizers and salads. The salads were each placed directly in front of the guests but the appetizers were placed on stands in the center of the large table. Kara noticed how each women's face seemed empty. No light shined in the eyes. No smiles crossed their face. At first she thought maybe it was stress from planning and cooking. Or perhaps it was fatigue from the early day and hard work. As each woman took their seats however the looks seemed to deepen further. As if the very life had been drained from them. Suddenly the kitchen door slammed open once more but this time with a loud bang that made the whole table jump in unison. A man dressed in black and far less fancy then the others seated at the table walked in. His face hidden behind a white mask. His body seemed abnormally long. Like his limbs weren't meant for his torso. He spoke and the words seemed to come from everywhere and no where at once. "Welcome jones family to the last supper!" He paused as if expecting laugher to follow his proclamation although none did. "You are all gathered here today to pay the debts owed to me and my family by you and yours. We have waited patiently for the day when your debt would be settled and today it comes due!" The last word boomed as if he'd spoken with a megaphone and the walls almost seemed to shake. "Each course will claim one piece of the final prize but we are not heartless. We will let you choose who pays the bill. Simply think which of the members seated at your table must sacrifice and so it will be". We did laugh nervously at this thinking that uncle owned the wealthiest of the Jones line would for sure being the one picky up the bill for this mess of a dinner show. His warped sense of humor and never empty bank account had probably funded this bizarre form of entertainment. The lanky man spoke again,"the first payment has been chosen eat, drink and enjoy." Once more we tittered uncomfortably before starting with the salads. The dressing wasn't as sweet as I liked but it was ok. After a few bites though a noise rang out from the table. Uncle Owen's face was blue and he began beating the table as if it would some how dislodge whatever it was keeping the air from passing. I went to rise to help but as I did restraints popped out of my chair and held me fast to it. Everyone else also attempted to rise but we were each strapped to our chairs like prisoners in the electric chair. "No no no, the man laughed as he spoke, we do not interfere with the payment. Each of you will remain seated untill the debt has been satisfied". With the last word uncle Owen fell forward. His face no resting in what remained of the salad on his plate. Small creatures for lack of a better word dressed in fine tuxes but with blank black orbs as heads and no features beyond the clothes and utter blackness exited the kitchen and carried his body away like a piece of trash to be thrown away. We all screamed and thrashed at the chairs but they did not budge. The lanky man spoke again this time with a sinister tone that could not be denied"you will choose one victim each course. You will eat that course or I will punish more of you to make you once my debt is settle those remaining will be free to go. But if you do not follow my rules I will painfully and meticulously eliminate each of you. Am I Clear?" We were so confused and upset no one spoke. As if to answer the silence he walked up to one of the children at the kids table and drove a large knife he pulled from his clothes into their leg. "Once again I ask, Am I Clear?" Still no one spoke the only noise in the room the crying of the poor child and some gasps and muttering from the crowd. Anger and a cold hatred emitting from the lanky man his features and eyes hidden yet you could feel them boreing into each of us then slid the knife through the child's throat blood coating the table and the man as he did so. The parent of the child, a relative so distant I honestly had forgotten her name bucked and thrashed at her chair. Blood dripped from her restraints in almost the same drip rate as the blood of her child as it ran down the table. The lanky man the moved to the mother's chair and repeated the knife stabs once more. Two for her to match her child. He then held the bloody knife out toward each member as he spoke again "two uncounted victims claimed who's blood will not fill the hole your family has left in my ledger. Two needless deaths for the sake of pride and fear. Now that I have shown you the punishment for failure to abide by my rules know that each needless death from here on out becomes more painful and gruesome. Each life faces more agony then I have shown so far so do not tempt me again!" With that the creatures returned and removed the bodies and cleaned the mess spotless like it had never been there at all. Then the walked to each guest as we were once more prompted to choose. My mind went to my oldest aunt. The one that usually arranged the meals. I'm guessing others did too as we were told the choice was made and each creature took an appetizer bite from each tray. Still somehow warm even after resting on the cold table for what felt like hours although I do not know how long it actually was. A few tried to resist but our mouths seemed to open without our will behind them and we each chewed and swallowed the food. What the food was and how it tastes I cannot recall but the cry of pain as my oldest aunt collapsed onto the table to be carried out by the blank black masses pretending not be men. And so it went. Each course was brought out and while I believe they may have smelled delicious on any other day today the only smelled of blood and rot. Each bite was taken and one by one a family member fell to the food. The deaths seemed to take longer and grip the victim with more pain each time. One cousin that was picked I'm guess because he had no real family to speak of and seemed to be one that would die alone actually seemed to decay with the bite of food. Body parts actually rotting and falling off before his screams finally faded to silence. 10 members were claimed not counting the woman and child ...a fact the lanky man made sure to remind us. 12 total lives lost to this dark jester. This abomination. Finally the last course was served. I believe it was cherry or a similar red fruit pie but we all knew what it tuly was..blood ..our blood and that of those we lost. The lanky man spoke one last time,"the debt is almost filled and the ledger is almost clean simply pick one last victim to satisfy payment and those left may leave. I'll even do you the kindness of granting you new memories. Not pleasant ones but ones with less guilt for those left...erase some of the blood from your hands as a holiday gift what do u say?" We all glanced around the room. The older victims and those that seemed to be the easiest to part with as morbid as the seems to say, had already paid. We had no obvious choices. Young people in the prime of life or those with new families were all that remained. Someone would have to pay and that person would give up their future...their hopes and dreams. Kara could take no more and begged for those seated to choose her. To pick her as the final payment. She would step up so the others could live. The others stared at her wide eyed. Not wanting to give up or loose her but not knowing what else to do. The man lashed out"Fine the final choice was made and the debt is done but you dear Kara will pay for this beyond the death that awaits you!" And with that each member was fed one last bite of food. With dessert done the meal was concluded and as Kara's body was removed each remaining member's chIr released but as the stood a fog came over their minds and the collapsed to the ground. Most awoke in a ambulance or being treated by emts. Krissy sat in the now rain and snow mixture as it mixed with the ash of the almost completely burnt down home. She couldn't believe what had happened at dinner. The fire had started in the kitchen ...a shooting had occured which meant the oven and burners were left on in the craziness and had ignited something . But the biggest question was "What had made Kara snap and bring a gun to shoot up the family gathering.?" Why had she killed 12 people before turning the gun on her self. . Her cousin seemed so kind so together. Tears fell from her black streaked face. The hint of cherry pie still lingered on her tongue with just a small a hint of metal.... almost iron ....like blood.