That Night Part 1

Zeraphina slips poison into the bottle of wine and casually sits in her seat once again. They are sitting on the balcony, and a cool breeze wisps past her hair as she turns her attention back to her target, Alistair.

"That's the thing about this city," he says, drawing out his words.

"What is?"

Alistair slowly turns his head. Zeraphina freezes as she looks into his intensely blue eyes. She watches with anticipation as he pours scarlet wine into his cup. 

Drink it, you bastard.

“You never know who you can trust," Alistar says, winking. 

A smirk plays at the corners of his lips, and Zeraphina watches the cunning man before her as he stares at his drink. Her heartbeat quickens in angst and nervousness. He must die for what he did. He stands up from his chair and walks towards Zeraphina. Alistar's fingertips lightly lift her chin so her amber eyes meet his once again.

“Why don’t you take a drink with me?”

She felt herself searching his eyes, unable to look away. “I’m sorry. I don’t drink.”

“Just a sip, darlin’.”

She begins to feel uneasy, and senses he knows.

Something isn't right. Why is he offering it to me? 

He brings the cup to the lips of her mouth and she slowly takes a drink out of haste and bitterness. Alistair leans farther in and lightly presses his lips against hers, forcing her to swallow.

“Don’t worry,” he says, whispering in her ear. “The antidote is in the kitchen.”

---

Today I am going to visit Grandma in the hospital, Zeraphina thinks to herself. It’s been so long since I last saw her. 

Bzzrt. Bzzrt. 

She grabs her phone off the counter and the screen shows that her brother texted her.

“Hey, sis. You going to see grandma?”

“Yeah. On my way now.”

“K. Imma see her tomorrow.”

“Sounds good.”

Zeraphina grabs her red velvet mini purse and heads to her car.

After an uneventful forty minute car ride:

The mix of sterile air and hand sanitizer stings her nostrils, and the sound of distant coughing makes her cringe. Zeraphina despised hospitals, and yet she kept finding herself in one. First, her mother who passed away of cancer, then her father who died of suicide, and now her grandmother… who is being watched due to the finding of leukemia.

“Hey, Grandma.”

“Zeraphina… my favorite granddaughter,” she whispers feebly.

Zeraphina laughs out loud. “Ha, I’m your only granddaughter.”

Her eyes are saddened by the sight of her grandmother lying helpless attached to so many viciously helpful tubes. 

“It’s so good to see you, Zera,” her grandma says, smiling. “I have a favor I need to ask you for.”

“Shoot.”

“There’s a man - Alistair Davison. He is a power-hungry, rich man who believes he can get everything he wants, no matter who gets hurt.”

Zeraphina hesitates. The famous actor? What does Grandma want with him? “What about him, Grandma?”

“I want you to eliminate him. He’s the reason for my daughter’s death. She shouldn’t have died. It’s all his fault,” Grandma says through gritted teeth. 

“How is it his fault?... Mom died in a hospital.”

“She was put in the hospital because of that man. He pushed her to save himself, he is the reason she was hurt. He must pay for what he did.”

“No, no.. that’s not possible. You all told me Mom had cancer.”

“We told you that to protect you from the truth. Her lung was ruptured after she was pushed into the way of a car. Please, avenge your mother. Tonight he will be at the Isaria Ball at his house.”

How is this possible? That son of a b***h killed her to save himself? How could he?

“I’ll do it.”

“Go to XXXX store and find Isena. She will help you get prepared.”

Later that day (At the XXXX store):

Beautiful gown dresses line every inch of the store. Pink frilly ones to green laced ones. From the ceiling hangs a gorgeous chandelier.

Zeraphina walks over to the counter and asks, “Is Isena here right now?”

“Yes, ma’am. I will have her come assist you, if you could please just wait over there.” The woman points to an empty mannequin sitting along a wall. 

A few moments later a young woman walks towards me. Her flawless dark skin stands out against her light blue dress. Her naturally thick curly hair bounces with every step she takes, and her smile awkwardly sits among her perfect features. 

“Hi, you must be Zeraphina,” she says, almost too energetically. “Your grandma has told me so much about you. It’s a pleasure!”

“The pleasure’s all mine.”

“I have a few dresses for you to look at and pick from. I already know the plan, so they’re all fit for the occasion. Follow me this way, please.”

They walk through the wedding dresses section and past the ball gowns fit for a queen and walk into the back storage room.  

“I’ve been holding these dresses for you. There are three options for you,” she says, grabbing them.

The first option is a knee length strapless rose red dress, and skin tight. There is an open back on it. 

The second option is a floor length daffodil yellow. The dress is laced along the arms and bottom of the dress. 

Last but not least, there is a floor length dress that has grey on the top and fades into black. There is a small sparkle on the bottom of it. 

After trying them on: 

“This one was perfect,” Zeraphina says, holding the gray dress.

“Awesome! Tell your grandma I said hi! And I’m paying for this dress, so don’t worry about that!”

“Thank you!!”

At the ball: 

You got this, girl. You can do it. Zeraphina thinks, trying to reassure herself.

The women around her are wearing expensive looking dresses and the men are in striking suits. Zeraphina walks to the bar and asks for a cocktail.

Where is he? Zeraphina looks around the large room. There is a lingering smell of cleaner mixed with perfume and cologne. At the end of the room against a wall is Alistair. He is talking to a woman, with a drink in his hand. 

I will go over there after I finish this drink. 

Zeraphina walks towards him, weaving through the men and women around her. She struggles to walk with the heels on her feet. The woman that was with Alistair walks away as Zeraphina shows up.

“Alistair Devinson?”

“Yes?” He asks, turning towards Zeraphina.

“I’m such a huge fan! I watched XXXX Castle and was in love with it! You’re such a good actor, too!” 

“Why, thank you. So… who are you?”

“I’m Zeraphina.”

“That’s quite the name you have there, Zeraphina,” he says, rolling her name along his tongue. “How about we go talk somewhere more quiet?”

“Sure.”

The two walk up a flight of stairs and into an empty bedroom. He leads her to the balcony and sits down. “Please, take a seat.” 

 “I will go grab wine for us. I will only be a moment.”

Phew, he’s getting drinks. I’ll be able to do this, then. This is for mom. 

Alistair returns with wine cups and an expensive wine. He sits back into his chair and stares at the view beyond the balcony.

Zeraphina slips poison into the bottle of wine and casually sits in her seat once again. They are sitting on the balcony, and a cool breeze wisps past her hair as she turns her attention back to her target, Alistair.

"That's the thing about this city," he says, drawing out his words.

"What is?"

Alistair slowly turns his head. Zeraphina freezes as she looks into his intensely blue eyes. She watches with anticipation as he pours scarlet wine into his cup. 

Drink it, you bastard.

“You never know who you can trust," Alistar says, winking. 

A smirk plays at the corners of his lips, and Zeraphina watches the cunning man before her as he stares at his drink. Her heartbeat quickens in angst and nervousness. He must die for what he did. He stands up from his chair and walks towards Zeraphina. Alistar's fingertips lightly lift her chin so her amber eyes meet his once again.

“Why don’t you take a drink with me?”

She felt herself searching his eyes, unable to look away. “I’m sorry. I don’t drink.”

“Just a sip, darlin’.”

She begins to feel uneasy, and senses he knows.

Something isn't right. Why is he offering it to me? 

He brings the cup to the lips of her mouth and she slowly takes a drink out of haste and bitterness. Alistair leans farther in and lightly presses his lips against hers, forcing her to swallow.

“Don’t worry,” he says, whispering in her ear. “The antidote is in the kitchen.”

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I ended it here because I want to write more and have the plot thicken. I want at least three parts, and this is the first. I might end up writing the other parts and put them on a writing website I use or put them on Reedsy but to random prompts. Don't worry! I will let you know in the comments once I decide what to do. Please leave comments and let me know what you think! Any criticism is helpful! Thanks!! And yes, I know how cruel it is to leave you on the same cliffhanger.. TWICE! But don't worry... I will make the wait worth it. :)