'Tis a bit lenghty chapter! I hope you enjoy till the end...

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MURDERED IN THE BATHTUB

Our working hands paused, and our heads snapped towards Melody as we heard the party's theme. 

"Murder Party?" My voice was filled with surprise or confusion. Or maybe both.

"What kind of a person has such a theme?" I asked with my eyes open wide, staring at the back of Melody. 

Grace and Hannah's expressions weren't much different from mine. 

But Melody was totally ignorant of our startled looks. She continued preparing the meal while nonchalantly replying to my question,

"It's Halloween, dear. And in a city where crime rates are higher than the average, you can't expect anything else. Anyways," she turned her face towards us only to notice that we have been standing with our hands paused and eyes fixed at her. 

"Girls!" She shouted in annoyance. "We need to do this all fast. Why are you people standing empty-handed?" She scolded with a stern glare. 

Hearing her angry voice, we quickly engaged ourselves in our work. But our minds were occupied by the name - Murder Party. Fascinating name, isn't it?

After the cooking was concluded, Melody handed us and a few waiters some new uniforms and aprons. She was much like our Moms. You know, how our Moms hid new clothes, handkerchieves, crockery and brought them out only for the guests. Melody was currently doing the same act. 

Nevertheless, we packed the food into a transport van and passed it early with a few workers. 

"It's almost a half an hour cycle ride from here," Grace calculated as we stood in front of the Dine-In while Melody locked the shop. 

"You're not going there on your petty bicycles!" Melody said, returning to us after closing the shop. 

"We have THE CAR waiting for us." She said, dramatically making the word car long, and we all laughed out loud at it. 

She was a joyous and hearty person to be around. 

Melody, then, took us towards the end of the road, and as we turned a turn, VOILA! 

A Porsche was waiting at the corner. For us? I highly doubted it at first. But when Melody opened the driver's door and placed herself inside it, that's the moment when we finally believed. 

Reaching out to the car, Grace sat on the front seat. Leaving the back seats for Hannah and me. We took off as soon as everyone was settled in their places. 

"Where did you get this car from?" I asked eagerly.

"When did you learn to drive?" Grace was the next to inquire.

"Woah, Woah! Calm down, girls," Melody said, glancing at my reflection in the rearview mirror. 

"The hotel manager lent me this car for tonight. And, yes, like all other responsible youngsters, I went to a driving school too," she said, placing her one hand inside a box on the dashboard. When she took it out, there was a card in between her two fingers. 

"So, here's my license. Now sit tight, and enjoy the ride!" She presented the card waving it in the air. 

We completely forgot how fast it was to ride in a car. We were habitual of the pace of our eco-friendly bicycles borrowed from the college. 

In less than fifteen minutes, we were at the Hotel Georgia. Melody's driving was safe but speedy. Plus, there wasn't much traffic on the roads. 

We stepped inside the hotel, and just by its looks, you could say it's no less than a five-star hotel. Luxury check-in cabin, employees in red and black uniforms, running back and forth with luggage and food. 

It was an elegant 1920s hotel offering an art deco-inspired pool, a spa, fine dining, and a speakeasy-style bar. 

I didn't say that. It was written in embossing on a golden board hanging in the lobby. 

After all the formalities were undertaken at the check-in, we headed towards the hall where the party was arranged. 

It was a wide, open, and well-decorated hall with one side reserved for a long buffet table and sitting area. Another side occupied the dinner couches and in the middle was empty standing space. 

Soon after we arrived and started setting up for the buffet, the guests started entering the hall, too. And in less than an hour, the hall was packed with people. Some people in the standing area, some at the buffet, while some settled on the dinner couches.

There was a lot of rush, and as a result, we had our hands full all the time. People dressed in various Halloween outfits roamed about the place. The only relaxing fact was that the drinks served were all non-alcoholic. 

Now people won't drink something that'll make them lose their minds and go crazy like animals. Pheww, that's a relief!

Anyways, after a long term of busy hands, we got a moment of relaxation as the guests scattered themselves in gossips and light chit-chats. That's when I started recognizing some familiar faces. 

There were Janice and Maddy too. Noticing our questioning gazes, Janice said, 

"We were invited," she shrugged. "And you know what," she said in a whispering tone, "Rachel is the host of this party." 

"Rachel from the fashion designing department?" Hannah inquired. She loved gossiping.

Janice just gave a 'that's her' kind of nod in reply to Hannah's question.

Rachel was rich, like most other students, bright, yet a sassy, wicked girl. The gorgeous diva with strawberry blonde hair, emerald eyes, and the perfect fashion model figure. And, obviously, she wasn't shy to show off anything. You know what I mean. 

"We hardly get to see her, anyway. She is so encircled by boys, I guess there's very little chance a girl could reach out to her." I said, shrugging. I separated myself from them to find Melody. 

I was least interested in knowing who's the party's host, or why was this party called the Murder Party? Well, I might be somewhat interested in finding the name, but this place made me sick. I wanted to run away. This environment was suffocating. These girls and boys, using each other as tools for their lustful desires. As if they aren't humans. As if they don't care for even themselves. 

I was dragged out of my thoughts when another familiar voice hit my ears. But I couldn't judge it. 

"Is it really you, Emi?" the female voice behind me asked. 

I turned around, and the face I saw somewhat resembled… 

"It's me! Martha. Your childhood neighbour." Recognizing my puzzled expressions she said warmly as her eyes sparkled with joy. 

"Martha!" I rejoiced to see her. 

Martha was my neighbour back in Toronto. She was 5 years older than me. But she has always been so kind, helpful, and understanding. Years ago, her family left our neighbourhood as they had some issues going on in their village. I haven't seen her since then. She had an annoying younger brother too and a super sweet mother who baked the best apple pies.

Ahh...Memories!

"What are you doing here?" I asked her out of surprise. 

"I'm an intern at this hotel as a management student." She said, looking around. 

"You seem to be having a chef job?" Martha asked, raising her brows while glancing at my attire. 

"Yeah! A part-time job, which sometimes makes you do things you would never wanna do," I said helplessly, looking at the people standing at a distance. 

But, my eyes paused when I saw a group of people gathering around a table. They were preparing to start some sort of game. 

"What are they up to?" I asked myself, looking at them with my eyes narrowed. 

Nevertheless, I turned my attention back at Martha. We have met after a long time. I had so much to talk about. 

We didn't realize what happened in our surroundings while we kept talking. 

"Hey, you! You three waiters," someone from the mob called, and I realized they were talking to us. 

I watched in the direction where Hannah and Grace were standing along with Janice. They were, too, looking at me with surprise. But as we were appointed for work here, we had to go. We went near the mid-table, where a board was placed. Standing beside it was Rachel and her friends. 

One of her friends looked at us with her glassy eyes and said,

"We needed more players for our game. Join us." She said, more like ordering us. 

"Sorry, we are not compelled to do such things!" Hannah said plainly with hints of annoyance in her voice. 

There she was, the cheeky Hannah for strangers!

"You are compelled to do anything we say. Or forget about the payment, and the slandering you'll face will be all your fault." Rachel said, emphasizing each word she said. 

We had to play. We had no other choice. For our reputation. For the Dine-In. For Melody. 

However, the game was pretty weird. Somewhat, like the game of secrets and sins. You pick a question from the bowl and spill the truth. Hannah went first.

"What is the secret relationship you're hiding from everyone?" She read it. 

Everyone started staring at her with excitement. She looked up in confusion.

"I---I don't have any relationship. Why does it say so?" Hannah said with awkwardness encompassing her voice. 

"Ugh! You nerdy people. You go next!" Rachel pointed towards Grace, giving a displeased expression. 

Hannah was developing an ill-temper due to Rachel's attitude, but she held it. Grace took out a paper with a question penned on it.

"What is your siblings' biggest secret with you?" Grace read out loud.

"I don't have one." She said with a chuckle. 

Rachel didn't seem much pleased to hear her answer. Irritated, she gestured me to pick a question without even uttering a word. 

"Your parents' dirtiest moment you know about!" The question read, and the crowd in the hall was intrigued to hear the answer.

"An answer or a lifetime dissolution of your pretty little restaurant." The girl sitting beside Rachel reminded me before I could say a word. 

I kept thinking for a while and then answered with embarrassment engulfing me.

"When my dad died, my mother was in shock. And as a result--" 

"And so your mother slept with someone on the day of his funeral." I was interrupted by a boy from the crowd, and everyone started laughing vulgarly. 

I shook my head reluctantly in denial, 

"NO! Absolutely not! She just…" I hesitated, "She fell in someone's arms due to unconsciousness." I said in one breath, and my head dropped down out of shame.

I disclosed my mom's secret in front of a bunch of maniacs. I shouldn't have!

"That's it?" Rachel asked with anger getting on her senses. 

"Was your mother a f******---"

"Enough!" Hannah yelled. "We are not staying here for a minute now. Come on, Emily. Let's leave." She held my hand and was about to drag me with her when a loud, frightening scream startled everyone's souls.  

It came from the restroom area. The hotel was deluxe. So, it had a shower and a bathtub in the party hall too. 

Like most other people who ran towards the source of the scream, so did we. Standing in front of the bathtub, the person who screamed was Janice. 

And the reason for her scream, a blood-filled bathtub with a body of a girl floating inside it. Her face was distorted due to stabbing with a knife multiple times. Her fingers were cut out and laid on the floor. Pain and disbelief filled in the wandering, soulless eyes of the corpse. 

What a horrid scene to look at! 

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