The Dinner Party

The Dinner Party

Once a month. Twelve times a year. Endless hours wasted through a lifetime. The same thing every month. Dinner Parties. They are okay for the first half of the evening. Until you get to that same point, after the dinner, the conversation runs dry. We sit staring momentarily at each other, until one of us pipes up and brings up a previous anecdote that we all once had heard. No one takes the initiative to say that we have heard the story, so we all play along and laugh. Then we all do it. We relate that person's anecdote to one we had previous stated. The only thing that changes the after dinner affect is the setting. This one happens to take place at mine and Maria's home.
Harry and June are the first ones to get to the parties and the last ones to leave. They both tell the repetitive, contradictory stories. The ones with slight details changing every time they tell it. Marcus is always on the right side of the fence with a debate, since his opinions change to whatever side seems to be winning. His wife is Mallory. She is on enough Percosets to kill a horse. She's not even on the same planet as the rest of us.
Mike and Carrie seem to be a normal couple. Except for that obsessive womanizer portion of Mike's personality. Mike has a very quiet personality. He doesn't speak much to the rest of us. He only whispers his comments to Carrie. He has only been around for the last couple of years, so I always thought that it was taking him some time to get used to the rest of us. Or maybe he is like me, already bored of the dry conversations.
The only difference with our dinner parties and other people's are the fact that we all have had intercourse with each other. Swingers. Everyone has slept with everyone. Except for Marie. She never wanted anything to do with it. She new before marrying me, that I had every intention on being one. I guess she loved me so much, that she still wanted to be with me. As for Mike, I'm pretty sure he hasn't as well, since he doesn't seem to be very open to new ideas.
These evenings are always so boring. Tonight is different. There is an unfamiliar feeling with the night. Not the usual dread and boredom, this time it feels new. Almost exciting. Or at least I thought it did, until I found Mallory face down on the bathroom floor. Vomit covering my Persian Kelim bathmat. It took me years to find that shade of red to match to rest of the bathroom.
Murder wouldn't have crossed my mind, since I knew how many of her little pill friends she had taken. Her eyes are open, almost staring at me. I take a closer look. The blood vessels around the retinas are broken. The usually occurs when a poison first reacts to the nervous system. She had left the room minutes ago. I would have found her alive, if she was still overdosing.
Marcus, Harry, and I wait outside of the bathroom. The females are congregated in the living room, as they contact emergency services. Mike sits at the table alone, eating a piece of steak. I stare over at him. He continues to eat. Without bother.
"It was so fast." Marcus says.
Poison will do that, I think to myself. A few tears build up in Marcus' eyes. It's this first time I've have seen anything emotion from anyone at these parties. I ponder to myself as to why anyone would want to kill Mallory? It was my turn with her, so maybe someone had a jealous fit. Maybe Marcus, I know he always wanted to sleep with Marie, and he was probably pissed that I was sleeping with his wife. Or maybe it was Marie, all the years of these swinger parties, just took their toll or her nerves.
"I don't know what to say." I say.
Marie walks up to me with the phone in her hand.
"Their asking a bunch of questions I don't know the answer to." Marie says, handing me the phone.
I take the phone from her hand and walk into the bathroom.

* * * * * * *

I never agreed to these parties. But, Charlie insisted. He said I have to love him for who he is, and the things he does. Maybe I thought I could change him. Or maybe I was hoping he would change for me. I never thought I could get over the fact that they are all like this. But, ever since Mike started coming to these dinner parties, I guess my opinion change. He's mysterious. They way he doesn't speak while he is here. How he really only opens up to me, while we are in bed.
Even with all this commotion with Mallory. He just sits there finishing his meal. I know, I know, I should think there in something morbid about it. But, realistically, there is nothing any of us can do. So, why not?
I enter into to the living room to meet with June and Carrie. They are both sitting on the couch. Carrie has a couple of tears running down her face. She always told Charlie that Mike was verbally abusive towards her. I always heard two sides of the stories. One from Mike, and the other from Charlie. He was having sex with Carrie. I never believed about the verbal abuse from Mike, I just can't see that happening. He's too quiet. He would never yell at me.
"Is Charlie talking to them?" Carrie says to me.
"Yes."
It seems that every time she has a problem with someone, she has to run to someone else to fix it for her. I can see now how Mike could get mad at her. I do know Men don't like women who have no independence. I sit down beside Carrie and rub my right hand over her back.
"Poor Mallory." June says, as she stands up.
"She kind brought it on herself." Carrie pipes up.
Words I weren't expecting from Carrie
"What do you mean?" June says.
"Please, you know yourself, that she was on, like, fifteen different medications, not only that, but she consumed at least 3 glasses of wine, as a dessert to the meds." Carrie replies.
Everything that Carrie said did make enough sense. But, I couldn't help but think that she knew way too much of what Mallory was ingesting. June did not like the response from Carrie; she quickly takes off out of the room.
"Your so heartless." June says, as she exits the living room. Carrie turns her attention to me.
"I wasn't trying to be heartless, just realistic, people's bodies tend to just give up, you consume enough of anything, and your immune system will just give up."
"I know, I know, I just think she didn't want to hear about that right now." I respond.
I do agree with Carrie, but it is a pretty cold statement. It also makes me realize everyone here, isn't the greatest of friends. I stand up, and walk to get more news about the Paramedics from Charlie. As I walk to the door, no one is there. Mallory still lays on the ground. I hear voices coming from the kitchen. I make my way passed Mike, sitting at the table. I walk passed the living room, and through into the kitchen. All the men stand in a circular formation, around a body on the floor. June. She lays in a pool of her own blood. She is face down. The blood is mostly around her head area. Maybe she was hit with something.
All the men stand in shock. Charlie still has the phone grasped in his hand. Harry eyes are completely red, with tears running down his cheeks. Marcus turns his attention to me, and walks over to the counter and leans against it.
"Looks like we have a murderer in our presence." Marcus says.
Marcus could not be more right.

* * * * * * *

Two-storey home. First level. Walk in from the front door, leading in to a five by six foot entrance. First door on the right is a living room. Carrie and Marie were sitting in there when June was murdered. On the left side is Charlie's office, enter in through there leads you to the washroom where Mallory was found. If you keep walking straight, you walk by the staircase up to the second floor. To the left of the staircase leads you down a hallway to the kitchen. As you continue to walk directly to the kitchen, you pass a door, leading you to the basement. The basement stairs run parallel to the stairs leading to the second floor. You enter the kitchen, a doorway on the left, leads you to the dining room, where Mike is sitting. The only other door in there leads you to the opposing side of the bathroom, where Mallory was found.
Now, realistically, Mike should have heard whatever commotion happened in the kitchen. But, he just keeps eating his meal, and sipping his wine. The only suspect to this entire evening is sitting there, showing no emotion. At least he knows his wife is safe.
Harry doesn't have it in him to be a killer. He lives for these dinner parties that we have. As did June. There would be no reason why anybody would want my wife dead. They were both descent women. Marie seems as if she could be the killer. All of us have wanted a piece of her. Harry and I both had talked about it. Charlie always said that is was her choice, but I think he just had some strong jealousy issues, as well as a little controlling. Carrie couldn't have done it. If anything she got Charlie to do it for her. She always runs to him for everything.
"Marcus." Marie's voice breaks my concentration.
"Yes"
"What are you doing in here?"
"Just trying to figure some things out." I say.
I lean back on the couch. Marie comes and sits down beside me.
"I'm sorry about Mallory."
"Thank you. I just don't understand any of this. At first I was pissed off at Mallory, cause I always told her that the pills were going to kill her one day. Then this happens with June, and I realized someone is behind it. And, now rage is taking over for whoever killed Mallory." I respond.
"I think we should all stay together, that way whoever is doing it won't be able to get away with it."
"That's a good idea."
I stand up from the couch, and Marie leads me out of the den. We walk into the Kitchen. Harry stands alone. Looking over the body of his dead wife. Tears are still in his eyes.
"Where is everyone?" I ask him.
Harry raises his head in our direction, and glares at us with his red, watery eyes.
"Charlie went to wait for the Police and Paramedics, I don't know where Carrie went, and that fucker Mike is still sitting in the dining room."
Judging from his tone, he as well thinks that Mike had something to do with it.
"What do you mean fucker? What did he do to you?" Marie responds.
"Marie, he killed my wife, and Mallory."
"How? Like you just said, he has been sitting there the entire time." Marie replies.
"Why don't we talk with him?" I suggest.
I lead the way to the dining room. All three of us walk through the door. No Mike. His chair is knocked over. His glass of wine is half full, or empty. I walk up to his chair and look it over. No blood. Nothing. I quickly walk by Marie and Harry in the doorway.
"Where are you going?" Marie says, as I push by her.
I make my way to the front foyer; I peek into the living room. Empty. No Carrie. I open the front door, and look outside. Charlie is outside, smoking a cigarette.
"Have you seen Mike or Carrie?" I ask.
"Nope, I've been out here."
I exit onto the porch, and stand beside Charlie.
"The Police are sure taking there sweet time getting here."
"I guess they don't think is too important." Charlie says.
I let the silence kick in; too see if I can hear any sirens. Nothing.
"I'm sorry about Mallory." Charlie says.
I walk away, and head for the door.

* * * * * * *

I have to stay hidden; if I stay hidden they can't find me. I can't believe they killed my wife. But, they won't get me. I lost Marie. She took off. Marcus went outside with Charlie. But, if I stay upstairs in the closet they won't find me. Or at least until I hear the sirens coming. I hope Mike is dead. That asshole killed my wife. I can't hear any sounds. Nothing.
"Harry?" A women's voice says from the hallway.
Should I answer? It could be a trap. If it's Carrie, then I should not go. She disappeared. And, no one has seen her. If it is Marie, I should answer, she would never be capable of all this. I'll wait until they get closer.
"Marie." A male voice says.
At least now I know it is Marie.
"What do you want?" She responds.
"I just want to talk to you, about before." The voice says.
It's too muffled, I can't tell whose voice it is.
"I don't think we need to talk."
"Please, just let me explain some things."
"I don't want any explanations. I just want you out of here."
What? Who is she talking to? Is it Charlie? I wish I could tell who it is. I'm going to get out of this closet and make my way to the door. I want to know who it is.
"You don't mean that." The male voice responds.
I open the door of the closet and sneak my way towards the door of the room.
"I sure do, this isn't the time. As you can tell two people are dead."
I approach the doorway.
"How about four?" The male voice says.
I stop in my tracks. Marie is talking to the killer. How can she be so calm?
"Four? Did you do it?" The female says.
There were pauses with her words. Whoever this killer is has a lot of control.
"Yes, I had too." He responds.
I start walking closer again. Approaching slowly. CREAK! The floorboard makes that familiar sound. Always at the inappropriate timing. I stop; I walk quickly back to the closet and close the door softly. The voices have stopped. I wait in the silence for a while, until I hear footsteps walking down the stairs. I exit the closet.
I walk down the stairs and make it into the kitchen. Marie stands there with a shocked expression on her face. I walk closer to her.
"Marie." I say.
All she does is acknowledge my presence. I realize at that time, it wasn't her that was upstairs. That only leaves Carrie. So it must have been Mike. It makes sense. She kept telling him to leave. She has finally started to stick up for herself. I put the thoughts to rest, until I turn my attention to what Marie was looking at. I see the face of the killer, the face of my wife's killer, the killer of Mallory, and my killer.

* * * * * * *

I put two shots into Harry's chest, just to make sure he will die. I always make sure they are quick deaths. I don't want anyone to suffer. It just got out of control. Mallory said that she didn't want to have sex with me anymore. Neither did June. They both said I had change, after I had found out that Marie had slept with Mike. I don't think I had changed, but what they were doing was adultery. The whole idea of swingers is everyone does everyone. Everyone is happy. Once you start doing things in secret, that's when the code gets broken.
Of course I had to kill Mike. No one was going to fuck my wife, without me agreeing to it. Marcus was just suspecting too much. I had gone so far I couldn't turn back. Carrie used to count on me for things. Once she came to me with a problem about Mike, and I had already found about Marie and him. I didn't care. So she didn't either. Harry. He didn't deserve it. And I have saved the best for last.
"You shouldn't have gave me the phone." I say.
I just had to tell 911 that it was a false call.
"How could you, Charlie?"
"Quite easily, kill everyone and claim temporary insanity. I will claim all of you to be swingers, and I couldn't deal with it. The vulgarity of it all. I will blame religion."
"They were your friends." She says.
"I know, and that's what made it easier."
"Are you going to kill me?"
I almost have to hold back the laughter. I did all of this, because of this unfaithful whore, and she has the audacity to ask that question.
"Yes, plain and simple, yes."
I hear a car door close outside. My common sense forgot to mention, usually when you call emergency services, they still usually send an officer just to be certain. It's almost getting outrageous. I can't go killing cops. Then I won't have an escape. KNOCK! KNOCK! I aim my gun at Marie.
"Let's go get the door, wife."
"You can't make me."
"That's true, but I can kill you." I say, raising my gun towards her face.
She starts to walk towards me. I follow behind her, keeping the gun against her back, as we walk towards the front door. She opens it.
"Hello?" She says.
"Yes, sorry for the intrusion, but we received a call from the address, and I'm just making my way around to see if everything is okay." The Officer says.
"Actually, my husband here just killed 6 people inside."
The words ring my eardrums. Did she just say what I thought she said? The Officer starts to smirk.
"I'm sorry for wasting you time Officer." I say.
"I'm not kidding, you're more then welcome to come in here to see." She says.
The Officer starts to unbuckle his gun clip. I raise my gun to his chest. But, a sharp piercing pain shoots into my neck. I fall back, dropping my gun. I start to clench my throat to stop the blood flow. My attention should have been on Marie, when she slipped the small vegetable knife into her pocket. I fall to my knees, gasping for whatever air I can get. All I can see is the ground. I fall towards, face first. The one person I wanted to get the most, got me first. Damn.