The Party She Never Forgot

Lucy Frank and her husband, Robert, were planning an intimate and spooky dinner party for Halloween night. Their young adult granddaughter, Julia, was also attending along with two of her friends. Five guests altogether if one included the medium Lucy had hired for the grand finale of the night: a séance that ended at the stroke of midnight.

There was much planning to be done and even more work. The elderly couple extended more energy that month of October than they had the whole rest of the year. And it seemed to be taking forever. A party from seven o’clock to midnight shouldn’t have been this difficult to plan and prepare. 

Finally, all was ready. Six-thirty was approaching fast, which was when the medium would arrive. Lucy wanted to go over every detail of the fake seance with Margaux Elliott, so she needed to be there early. After what seemed like hours, the doorbell rang and Lucy received her hired guest. 

“Mrs. Elliott! Are you ready for the big night?”

If clothes were any indication, Mrs. Margaux Elliott couldn’t have been more ready. She was donning a mysterious, filmy cloak of blackest black and a matching, loose-fitting dress underneath . In her head was a bizarre looking black head covering, complete with a veil. Completing the look were long fingernails painted a blood red. “I’ve never been readier, Mrs. Frank,” answered Margaux Elliott in a whispery voice.

“Hold the theatrics till later,” Lucy instructed. “We have to go over everything.”

The whisper dropped and Mrs. Elliott answered in her normal, blunt, loud voice. The least mystical voice a person could possess. “Sure thing, Sister. Just wait till eleven forty-five. I’ll knock your knee highs off!” Little did Mrs. Elliott know that it was she who would be shocked later that night.

Seven o’clock rolled around and the four guests arrived in succession. Ned Fells who was Robert’s closest friend was first, followed by Simone LaCroix who was Lucy’s oldest friend. Then came Donald McMillan and Emily Gerard. The two young friends of Julia. 

The atmosphere was festive and the costumes were the perfect mix of scary and elegant. Only Mrs. Elliott was not present for the dinner or other activities leading up to the climax of the night. She was sitting quietly in the den, reflecting.

Dinner - chicken served in a white wine sauce - was a tremendous success, followed by dancing and games. Julia was breathless with laughter and excitement; the older people in the room were more quietly content. The whole mood was more happy than spooky. But that was about to change.

Suddenly, the lights went down low. A wooden table had been set up with eight chairs. Everyone was told to come sit around the table - the time for the seance had come. 

One by one, the party goers and givers were seated. One chair was already occupied by what looked like a pile a grungy, dark clothes. When the pile moved, the guests were startled. It was Mrs. Elliott, now calling herself “Madame Clarity”. 

Candles were all around the table Madame Clarity lit each one thoughtfully. As if each one held a special purpose and meaning. She didn’t speak until she finished the task. 

In a whisper, she began, “So, who are we contacting on this very special night? It can be anyone on the other side, for the veil is at its thinnest tonight.” 

Lucy felt Simone shiver next to her. She was impressed by Mrs. Elliott’s acting skills and looked over at Robert who gave Lucy a small nod. Yes. They had chosen the perfect “medium” for their party.

Robert suggested to Madame Clarity that they call forth the spirit of Edward Fuller. The Franks knew nothing about Mr. Fuller except that he was the owner of their antique home some two hundred years ago. 

Madame Clarity made her eyes wide and said she felt his presence in the room. “Whooo else can feel his spirit?” the psychic looked around the table and saw Lucy giving her a warning look. Her prior subtlety was giving way to over-the-top showmanship and Mrs. Elliott quickly toned it down.

“Are we in agreement…” Madame Clarity practically breathed the words as she regarded the table. Everyone agreed that they’d contact Edward Fuller. 

The phony seance began and everyone connected hands around the table. Madame said, “We are gathered here tonight to call forth the spirit of Edward Fuller,” her voice was low and deep. “If you hear me, Mr. Fuller, we’d like to speak with you.”

Nothing happened.

“Are you here, Mr. Fuller!” Madame Clarity’s voice rose to something between a grunt and a yell. “Come give us a sign of your presence,” she demanded hoarsely.

Suddenly, the candles began to flicker and go out. Someone screamed. Madame Clarity began to shake. She looked toward the middle of the table and elevated her gaze. “He’s here!” she hissed. What resembled an orb of light floated above the table. The guests looked both delighted and terrified. 

Madame looked at Lucy and said, “He wants to know how you dare take his away his home.” 

“We bought it long after you’d gone,” Lucy told the orb, her voice trembling just as they’d practiced. 

“Mr. Fuller’s telling you to leave his property, Mrs. Frank!” Lucy pretended to look fearful for this part of the act. Madame was to get more and more insistent and Lucy was to “talk” to an invisible Edward Fuller. Then Lucy Frank would “float” towards the ceiling as Mr. Fuller tried to remove her from the house. Everyone would scream with terror and delight! 

The invisible string was fastened; Mrs. Elliott would “faint” and secretly control the string from her cell phone. It was almost time…

Madame repeated, “Mr. Fuller wants you to leave his house!” Her voice was getting hoarser, louder, more insistent. 

No!” Lucy yelled on cue.

Suddenly, Madame Clarity’s head jerked back and then slowly fell forward in an apparent faint. The candles went out in unison and another guest at the table screamed. Lucy took out her phone, put on the flashlight and went over to Madame Clarity. She didn’t budge, which rendered Lucy a little uneasy. They hadn’t practiced this part of the act or even discussed it.  

Maybe Mrs. Elliott had wanted to entertain everyone, even the ones who had hired her. So why was her heart fluttering? 

Lucy sat back down in her chair, assuming Mrs. Elliott had sneaked this part in without telling her. Sure enough, Madame’s head slowly started to rise again. The candles all relit themselves, one after another. 

Madame Clarity looked straight at Lucy and slowly pointed. With a wicked laugh, she started lifting her veil, inch by inch. Lucy felt her palms growing sweaty and wanted to stop the game now. But something told her it was too late. The gradual and deliberate pulling of the veil continued as it began to reveal Mrs. Elliott’s face. 

Lucy looked over at Robert, who seemed to be enjoying the performance. So why wasn’t she enjoying it anymore?

As the veil lifted past her covered neck, Madame Clarity’s chin revealed itself. It was as puckered as a prune. As a corpse, thought Lucy Frank who now couldn’t control her shaking. She could no longer look at Mrs. Elliott and tuned out the screams of the others gathered around the table. 

Finally, Lucy forced herself to look up. She gasped in horror as she stared at what looked like flesh rotting off the medium’s face, eyes glowing in a color that didn’t exist in the earthly realm. Her eyes seemed to pierce through Lucy’s as she finally spoke in a man’s voice and threatened, “Get out of my house, Lucy Frank!” The grotesque figure dressed all in black lunged toward her and collapsed on the table just as the clock struck midnight. 

The lights came on. Everyone clapped their appreciation for the “show”. Madame Clarity/Margaux Elliott had vanished. And Lucy Frank was never the same again.