PROGRAMMES | LUMEN
11 components . Finished with the task , I just checked on the Crème Brule base in the fridge , then carried out the table décor . It was going to be a great meal . I ’ m sure .
An hour left till the guests start arriving and the table all set , I changed into slacks and a teeshirt , to be more presentable . A host must look like a host , after all . I made some final touches and was making the dumpling sauce when the rumble of a car engine and sound of crunching leaves travelled down my driveway . 6.55 .
The familiar black Chevrolet opened its door to equally familiar hunting boots .
‘ Hey dude , welcome ! I hope you had a smooth drive over ...’
‘ Yes , yes . I missed you , Theo , you blasted thing !’
We met in an embrace , two close friends meeting after five months of just texts and the random picture .
I invited Hugh in , pouring two glasses of whisky for us . The cats rubbed against his legs , excited to have another familiar human in their presence . We chattered away , catching up face to face before one by one everyone else arrived . Nine people squeezed to fit the dining table , though it was better than the crowd of ten from the last gathering . ‘ Dumplings ! I missed your dumplings , Theo !’ The meal started off in high spirits , words thrown across the table , drinks poured freely . I missed this , this chaos and noise . Alone in a rural farm , I had no one to talk to save for my cats who were napping upstairs .
When the main was brought out , cheers rang across the intimate dining room . As I unwrapped the parchment , twine cut ceremoniously , the meat all but slid off the bones and the scent of herbs , spices and wine permeated our senses .
A good choice … I should look for a similar body type the next time .
The meat was distributed among us while the bread basket was passed around the table . Hugh shot me an approving look from beside me , knee knocking mine as a grin spread across his lips . Before I moved , we had often cooked together , with him doing most of the heavy lifting . Over the course of our friendship , I picked up skills from him and cooking became something we bonded over .
With the two mains finished , I left the party to get the Crème Brule ready to serve . Blowtorch in hand , I was about to start on the third one when a hand landed on my arm . ‘ Abigail looks quite nice , doesn ’ t she ?’ ‘ I suppose . Has she broken up with Ryan yet ?’ ‘ Yea , last week . No pets , parents off on retirement .’
‘ Good . Let ’ s see how the night progresses , then .’ I nodded in agreement , fingers twitching in excitement . It has been a while since the last time , after all .
Dessert was welcomed with open mouths and even louder conversations , with everyone pleasantly buzzed from the alcohol . I received countless compliments for the meal , from the delicious , tenderness of the meat to the unique flavour they could never find elsewhere .
‘ Of course , it is a special recipe .’ I would reply every time . A secret , painstakingly researched mix of seasoning that only Hugh and I know of . But the rest don ’ t know that .
We soon moved from the table to the living room floor , crowding around the television on the floor , drinks in hand . Conversation and drinks flowed with time , the sunlight dimming with every turn of the topic . Soon enough , the stars appeared in the night sky , moon hanging high and casting a supernatural glow to everything it touches . At one point , someone asked if anyone had heard from Jack , a member of our group . Hugh replied with , ‘ I ’ m not too sure , but the last I saw of him he said he wanted to join a volunteer organization in the Middle East .’ After that , the topic was dropped in favour of our favourite fashion designers .
With each empty glass bottle piled in a spare crate by the door , a pair of shoes disappears from the front porch . Soon , only Abigail was left , giggling and shouting drunkenly at the movie playing on the television . Everyone else had work , or someone waiting back home . Poor girl . Don ’ t worry , you won ’ t be alone for too long now .
The three of us lounged around and embarked on a discussion on tiny homes . One , two , three bottles of beer were emptied . I glanced at the grandfather clock on the wall . A quarter to three . Turning to Hugh , sitting up on the three-seater , I took a pointed glance towards the closet next to the main door . He nodded , taking a last swig of the beer he was nursing .
‘ Abby ! Wanna go look at the stars outside ? I bet in the city ; all you can see is . Smoke !’
I feigned drunkenness , slurring my words and swaying unsteadily . Go time .
Abigail , grabbing my forearm with a death grip , squealed and happily agreed . I guided her out the backdoor , to a nice grass patch well away from the crops and trees . I pointed out constellations for her , holding her hand and guiding her finger to point to each . In the moonlight , her ash brown hair and pale skin looked ghostly , save for a pink blush upon her cheeks . Pupils dilated and unfocused , she stared out into the galaxy , looking innocent as a schoolgirl , a soft smile gracing her lips . A light blinked from the kitchen window . I stepped back , socked feet crunching the newly dropped leaves . An owl hooted in the distance . ‘ Bye bye , dear Abby .’ A gunshot rang through the air , a blossom of velvet red liquid exploding from her forehead , before the body fell forward and landed in the grass .
Perfect for my Halloween feast ...
Commentary : I had always been a fan of thrillers , so I thought to give writing one a try . Serial killers and cannibals often seem to be very normal , lowkey people , but reveal their true nature in a complex , well-planned execution of moves . Thus , I dropped hints through the story to hint at a sinister ending .
The protagonist ’ s thoughts are italicised , so as to let the reader into his mind . Very normal thoughts , aren ’ t they ? Without context they would seem so . Psychopaths often make their victims feel cosy and safe , offering a false haven to bring their guard down , something I also tried to create here . Though it is unusual for them to work in pairs , I quite enjoy the idea of a partnership . Was Hugh the one who introduced Theo to cannibalism ? That ’ s up to you . I also tried to reveal the kill-plan in an artistic manner , much like my favourite series Hannibal . The macabre can be quite romantic sometimes . Evil is always lurking- would you be able to spot it ?
Xiuyi ’ s response to CAP : Although at first , I was quite sceptical about it being online , it ended up being an enjoyable and unique experience . Yes , my eyes hurt at the end of the day but I was able to connect online with my group mates and even some lecturers . I guess now with COVID being so unpredictable , adapting to remote meetings and online events is something unavoidable . Definitely , I learned a fair amount from the lecturers and experts- from journalism , to careful word choice in creative writing . CAP allowed me to explore different categories of writing and learn more about film writing , a topic rarely talked about ! It was amazing to finally analyse films with the right theories . If given the opportunity , do join CAP- you will not only grow in your skills , but your knowledge as well .