Special Gathering

     The young man walked up the path to the massive mansion in the countryside. His real name was Peter Kowalski, but to the other members of his group, he was the Andromedas. This was his thirteenth meeting with the secret organization this year, The Astralists. Andromedas’ father had been a member and his father before him, allowing Peter to enter the brotherhood on his eighteenth birthday.

       Wives, children, friends, and bosses were to be kept in the dark about the society. So exclusive were The Astralists that membership was only allowed to men who were either descendants of current or prior Astralist, unless an outsider saved the life of a club member- then he was allowed in. No one used their real names, going by aliases, and identities were hidden by dark hooded cloaks and elaborate facemasks. Of course, most people knew everyone’s true identities being from the same community.

       Meetings were held to the utmost secrecy, normally being held on the second and fourth Friday of every month at nine o’clock sharp. If an unplanned meeting (like tonight’s) were to happen, members would find details enclosed in an expensive envelope. He was expected to burn the message immediately after reading.

       Peter knocked three times on the mahogany front door of the Victorian mansion, covered in vines. A slit opened up for the sentry’s eyes to view who knocked.

       “Who is it?” the sentry asked in a hushed voice.

       “Andromedas,” the young man replied, “the shining wanderer.”

       The guard spurred the secret code to allow entrance, “Beautiful night out.”

       “The lights in the sky are stars,” Andromedas answered. The eye slit slammed shut. Three clicks happened from the other side of the door before the vast slat of mahogany opened.

       “Welcome, Andromedas,” the sentry spoke, holding his hand out to shake.

       “Thank you, Sirius,” Andromedas said. Sirius was a close friend whose actual name was Michael McCormack. “Everyone almost here?” He’d wanted to ask what the surprise meeting was for, but such questions could be punishable- the members would be informed soon enough anyway.

       “Just about, a few members are running late,” Sirius explained, “I’ll meet up with you when they show up.”

       Andromedas left the sentry and proceeded down the marble hallway towards the ballroom where meetings convened. The ballroom was elegantly decorated with heavy wooden tables for chess, cards, and dining. Meetings usually consisted of announcements followed by dinner then a social period, which was general chatter, gambling, and drinking until everyone left in the early hours of Saturday morning.

       Andromedas joined a table of lower-ranking members like himself. He greeted each one with a firm handshake.

       “Andromedas” Mercurian spoke, “How does tonight find you?”

       “Well enough,” Andromedas answered, sipping a glass of red wine that had been left in front of his chair. A pianist played in the far back corner. “How about you all?”

       “Fine, thank you,” Mercurian said.

       “Great,” Lunas replied for himself.

       “As well as any other night,” Meteorius answered last.

       The group spoke idly about the weather and upcoming events around town until a horn blew from the front of the ballroom. Everyone hushed at once, the silence washing over the crowd like a wave as the hooded figures turned their eyes toward the stage. The horn blowing meant one thing. It announced the arrival of the High Astronomist.

       The High Astronomist was the highest-ranking member of the local chapters of The Astralists. The man in charge answered directly to the Grand Thinker, the solitary figure in charge of the society worldwide who oversaw functions from his headquarters in Versailles, France. The position was reserved for the eldest member of the local group. Often rumored to be mayors, diplomats, wealthy men, and even the occasional president, though the man’s actual identity was guarded more than anything else of the club- save the Grand Thinker. The High Astronomist was to live in the outlying meeting home of the groups and act as the judge, jury, and even executioner for the local chapters.

       High Astronomist Nebulous walked slowly to the podium in the middle of the stage. He was a frail old man with a hunched posture and used a cane to aid in walking. The man’s face was mostly concealed by his mask and hood, however, his blind eyes seemed to glow from the darkness like a pale blue light. To be “looked at” by Nebulous was one of the most unsettling feelings in the world, rumors went around that- though he was blind- the High Astronomist could see directly into a person’s soul when facing them.

       “Good evening, my brothers,” the frail, old leader spoke. His voice was strained and low, like talking pained him. “I hope that this evening finds you all well and I apologize for holding this gathering on such short notice.”

       Everyone remained silent, a group of nodded members stood silently behind the High Astronomist like horrifying statues. These were the Paladins- the most virtuous members of the local chapter, chosen by the leader himself. Their masks were gold and depicted horrifying faces of demonic-looking beings. Andromedas’ father had been one of these nine Men before his death two years ago.

       “I called this meeting of The Astralists because tonight is a very important night,” the man’s voice perked up, but it still came out strained and painful, “tonight is the night of the blood moon.”

       The tension inside the ballroom grew to be almost tangible. The members of the Astralists knew what the blood moon entailed.

       “We are to perform our ritual as the clock strikes time and the moon brushes over in her red glory. We will call when it is time to assemble outdoors, but until then, enjoy dinner,” the backdoors opened as prospective members entered the room loaded with food trays. They wore plain white masks and identical black tuxedos.

       Everyone forked and stuffed their moths once every seat had a meal of steak and potatoes with mushroom sauce in front of them. Dessert was red velvet cake and coffee with more red wine. The tables were cleaned once everyone finished eating.

       The horn blew again as the High Astronomist took his place at the podium, “Brothers, please convene in the area behind the house.” Everyone got up and filed out of the doors to the outside where the amassed in front of a stone altar in a field surrounded by trees. The moon was almost completely red with a sliver of silver still showing.

       “Brothers,” the High Astronomist announced once the hooded figures were gathered around the altar, “we have three minutes until midnight. Bring the sacrifice.” Two paladins walked out from the darkness holding the arms of a woman.

       She was short and pretty with skin the color of a full moon and hair the color of the sun. She screamed and thrashed around in fear. “Where am I? Who are you?” she asked in hysterics. The other seven paladins stood at the sides of the altar to tie the woman’s hands and feet while the High Astronomist stood watching.

       The woman was bound easily enough despite her attempts at fighting. The nine men had little trouble. She had screamed ear-piercing shrieks until a paladin gagged her and tied a cloth over her mouth. The High Astronomist pulled a large silver dagger, decorated with diamond and jewels from under his cloak. He raised it high above his head, the polished metal glistening in the red moonlight.

       “Brothers,” the old man spoke, “to the blood moon.” He brought the dagger down swiftly, piercing the young woman’s belly. Her squirming stopped immediately as his eyes glassed over with death.

       Andromedas felt his stomach weaken, threatening to spill the dinner he’d just consumed. A few of the younger members did vomit while the others stood silently, watching the amber blood flow from the lifeless woman and pool at the base of the altar.

       “Thus concludes our meeting,” the High Astronomist spoke, he’d handed his bloody dagger go a paladin who was wiping the weapon clean, “go on now. We will meet again next Friday.”

       Andromedas walked uneasily back to his car with the other members. The look of the woman’s eyes, as she was stabbed haunted his mind. Though he couldn’t be sure, Andromedas felt as she had looked directly at him at her time of death. I no longer wish to be a part of this he thought to himself as he drove away. But he knew the only way out was death, and there was no one else he could confide his worries to.