Quaff

An exquisite meal to prepare epicurean delights that boasted of their extravagance freely upon the plates, complimented by fine wines, or what ever drink deemed appropriate, a few candles perhaps and some fruit and the finest of chocolates, The whole idea was to enjoy the evening to relish in it’s delights and not to drown in it’s labours!

“A day like a promotion perhaps, Having celebrated with his wife his new job in the company and savoured the praise of his boss,, his bosses wife and new found friends, Charles Harker and his wife Louisa had now returned from their feast to their stately home in their white Capri to savour the praises like a lavish dessert before they were to sleep soundly and dream of what joyous occasions his job promotion was to bring”

As they emerged from the car him in dinner suit and bow-tie her in a green crossover dress there seemed something out of place about the whole situation, The night was cold with dark blue clouds yet that was acceptable this time of year, Winter was coming and thus was considered a time for more feasting food and drink to enjoy on lonely nights, celebrations with new found friends was always worth savouring as was indeed a promotion such as the one he had achieved!

“Ah more Christmas and Birthday cards to fill in, He announced taking out the key from his Dinner Jacket and opening the two white stately doors with a single turn of the ,.lock, now we really can afford to keep this place your Grandfather left us”

“You made him proud, she announced, her hands on his shoulder in admiration as she somewhat intoxicated with Chateau D.Yqeum and finest champagne kissed his face, You make us all proud, I knew I did right to marry you, I knew if I waited then I would have real cause for celebration rather than making do with scraps at one of those dreadfully dull office parties”

“Which I’m afraid my dear we will ironically have to attend if you want to keep the new life I “Your hardworking husband has made you accustomed too”

“Who said I don’t like being a kept woman” she replied, rushing in because she was tired, it was now via a quick consultation of his expensive Gentleman’s watch three in the morning and he too was ready for bed even if he had remained a designated driver because he did not want to risk losing his promotion before it had even had chance to begin!

“There was something unusual about the stately home, perhaps it looked different at night or more so after returning from a Dinner Party, despite it’s grand sounding title the stately home as they referred to it was not as fine and noble as the home of his boss and now he noticed his wife staring at things well known that now seemed less familiar” The painting of a ship before you climbed the staircase seemed crooked as if someone had knocked it, yet she knew they had not gone anywhere near it and it was too far for any of them to touch when competing a journey downstairs or up so it could not have been used as an improvised banister, the carpet it appeared to have a tiny reddened stain like a crimson goblet had it always been there, had he cut himself this morning and forgotten to mention it because of their anticipated concerns about the evening “Although like the menu they had dined upon both had gone exceptionally as planned!

These thoughts were not enough to prevent her from climbing the stairs and making her way to bed, like children on Christmas Eve awaiting presents they too wondered what financial and indeed personal gifts awaited them in their desire for the moveable feast that accompanied success!

And so after a quick slosh of water and soap a change from day clothes to night they went to bed and whilst he slept instantly she “His wife took a little longer, hearing what sounded like the fluttering of wings amidst jovial regaling yet in a state of lucid dreaming the images were of people, celebrations and food however this dream was she somewhat uncouthly awakened from when she heard what sounded like the crash of glass coming from the Dining Room the distinct sound of a wine glass she knew this because they had once lost one when his parents came to congratulate them on their marriage plans, “She had felt annoyed yet realised now remaining calm had been the right choice now she was not so certain, Someone was downstairs, she was certain, the successes they had worked so hard to achieve could now so easily be taken from them, “She shook him. blearily he inquired:

“What, What is it I’m tired”

“Charles, I heard a noise, I think someone is downstairs in our Dining Room,!

Oh for goodness sake Louisa, We locked up and the only window open is the one at the top, no one could get their hand in and even if they did the latch is too far to reach!

As if to contradict there was what she began to refer to as the familiar fluttering sound even though she had only heard it twice and that was once in a dream!

Charles I think it’s an animal, a bird perhaps, I don’t want it breaking anything, Oh please Charles couldn’t you just go and check, while I wait here”

He studied her apprehensive face that matched the tone of her voice like a dreadful menu washed down with a bout of unease he smiled to show his concern for her was empathic and stated:

Alright, , “He announced getting out of bed in pyjamas and putting on his shoes you wait here I won’t be long”

“Please hurry” she said, I keep thinking there’s something wrong!

As he crept silently down the white steps his confidence began to falter as he now heard what sounded like voices, not hostile or shy more gregarious mixed with singing and laughter and the now even more familiar sound of the fluttering of wings, Had he left the television on? He wondered, And yet he still reassured himself by reaching for the poker kept nearest the coal shuttle for poking the Victorian log fire that was indeed popular with guests and had soften them up for many a business negotiation along with the fine food and wine they hoped to serve for their new found guests.

However as he entered the Dining Room it appeared they had unwelcome and indeed unexpected guests of the most widely extravagant kind” For their infront of him were people dressed in regal costumes as if part of some Medieval Celebration, the clothes however looked somewhat Eastern, Rumanian perhaps or somewhere nearby he and his wife had visited on one of their Gourmet Holidays, The table they used for their entertaining of invited guests had been unceremoniously taken like a reserved table in a Restaurant by whoever these people were, And yet they had had the decency not to ruin the evening so to speak by covering the table in too much food, instead they had prepared what he had to admit was an excellent yet discrete spread of fruits and cheeses from both Europe and The Continent , a small selection of exquisite patisseries that would round off any dessert and fresh crusty bread the smell still wafting fragrantly mixed with the chill from the dark blue night sky amidst a full moon, and a bowl of finest hand crafted chocolates and some nuts to be shelled and biscuits for cheese, butter and drink, a strange concoction that he read as Nepenthe!

As they laughed and swilled from Goblets he believed himself to be unnoticed until one of them dressed in regal splendour though of a somewhat peasant nature announced loudly: “Come good Sire, join us in our moveable feast, we are but humble folk forced from out our homeland, come, “This time it was said with a rather exaggerated beckoning gesture of the arm, “Yes, join us please they all cried in unison with the man he himself called the peasant king. As he approached these Eastern Europeans for that was what they were, he became somewhat enticed by an attractive woman in a swirling white and red striped skirt of a flimsy material and a green faded top that showed the shape of her breasts, she presented him with a tanker in barmaid fashion and complete with a arm circling around his neck and a kiss on the side of his face she urged him to come, “Enjoy our moveable feast, “Drink with us and celebrate the old ways and traditions before they came and drove us from our lands”

He obliged, not knowing why, “Fear perhaps of antagonising them, or perhaps because the only logical explanation he could bring forth was that this was some elaborate joke played on him by his new found friends who would soon appear and explain it all, “If so, was his wife in on it? Maybe he should call her, however before he could utter any words the strange somewhat cloying liquid was forced down his throat to the accompaniment of cheers and backslapping, embraces and methods of amicable acceptance that he found off putting where as other times he would have welcomed it, As he “Being a gregarious sort of chap would have welcomed this or any celebration apparently in his honour;

The liquid was not to say the least unpleasant, infact it was rather warm, sweet like a rather excellent Port and they did have some rather good accompaniment of cheeses to go with it, “Yet it was not as strong as Port although its warmth was mingled with a gentle soothing soporific effect the liquid itself was clear like water and because of their Eastern origins and accents he concluded it to be a form of Vodka or something very similar made from the same ”More or less” ingredients” And so he quaffed this Nepenthe and he ate of fine cheeses and food and his mind grew dazed along with his thoughts and he wondered where he had heard the word before, then remembering his obtained knowledge he began to gather forth all that he knew of Nepenthe, It’s mentioning in literature as a drug a ancient form of opium or laudanum though he wondered now if to try and flee would bring forth anger and make the situation worse, And yet if he wanted too he could not for his legs had grown weak and they needed to hold him upwards as his mind wandered to the poem by Edgar Allen Poe entitled The Raven and it’s line:

Let me Quaff this kind Nepenthe and forget the lost Lenore,

Were they trying to forget and if so forget what? Could that be the reason they had thrown a regal cloak across the surface of the huge Dining Room Mirror, was it some ancient Eastern European tradition a custom they chose to keep as part of this unknown moveable feast he had been forcibly invited to partake in!

“Where are you from? He inquired; his voice mingled with drug induced joviality so much so that his words were almost drowned out by his own raucous laughter”

“We are from Eastern Europe good Sire announced the peasant king our traditions go back a long long way, We have lived among you since the dawn of time, our kind and yours have always existed somewhat peacefully at first though when beliefs and traditions were met with conflict that was the beginning of our demise!

“But we are here and we will always be among you” Confirmed the Barmaid as he referred to her in thought and we will always be among you, hiding in the darkness of your World, lurking within the shadows seeking forth what was once ours to take at will!

The talk became incomprehensible the drink clouded any meaningful translation and yet he was able to keep his wits about one thing, “Why were some of them armed with swords? He had not noticed this before being too mesmerised by the splendour of their costumes yet now he did, And the thought it was part of some elaborate costumed proposal did not subdue the fear and terror he was beginning to sense that soon covered him as he fell to the floor overcome with more than the splendour of good hospitality!

All celebrations need surprises and some should be reserved not just for those who arrive first but for those guests who for reasons we will not yet discuss come later than anticipated. Not able to fathom the noise anymore his wife blearily made her way down the stairs, The vibrant celebration continued as if they were unaware of their intrusive guests, “Yet she became aware of them and even more so aware of the hideous sight of her husband’s headless torso upon the table as the centre piece, Now it was clear why the food had been rationed for they had to leave room for the main course, Blood poured into Goblets whether with or without Nepenthe they quaffed as their kind had always done, feasting upon the blood of humans though sometimes recruiting them, And as she stared in terror at their blood soaked canine teeth the peasant king announced with a swill of his Goblet in gratitude at her unintentional part in this ancient preparation:

“We bid you goodbye Milady for we must continue our moveable feast wherever we can, To Quaff” They all shouted, to feast as we have done before till we may do so again.

And with that they all turned into bats and flew off leaving her to scream at the severed head of her husband whilst they searched for other places to celebrate their moveable feast”

THE END