Haunted by the Holidays by Kathryn Blanche

Author:Kathryn Blanche [Blanche, Kathryn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781732665187
Published: 2019-12-19T16:00:00+00:00

Part 4 -The Dream

“Ali? What’s taking you so long?” chided her mother. She wore an opulent lavender gown and her long pale hair was pinned in a bun atop her head. They were standing in the parlor of their family’s house back in Tír na nÓg, and preparations were underway for their annual Winter Solstice party.

“This is the last one.”

Ali stuck the white, long-stemmed rose into the floral arrangement and gave the centerpiece a final adjustment. The entire house had been decorated with silver, gold, and white for Solstice. Garlands of evergreens and glowing silver bobbles were perched on any empty surface and hung around the doorways. Delicate glass snowflakes that glowed with magical enchantments floated in the air while matching lanterns rested on the tables. There were swags of pale-gold fabric framing the windows and draping the tables, with tiny gold stars embroidered in them. Even the plates were rimmed with silver and gold.

“Lovely!” chimed her mother as she checked the table settings one more time.

“You’d better get ready. The others will be here soon!” called her father as he checked his appearance in the hallway mirror. He was in a dark, midnight blue suit with a silver bow tie that matched his hair. A smile lit up his eyes as always, and he was clearly eager for the guests to arrive.

Ali hurried past him and up the stairs where Erin was waiting in the hall. She looked regal in a black satin gown that accentuated the subtle curves that had developed over the last few months…

Ali halted on the stairs. What was going on? Their parents were dead. Was this some sort of a dream? It had to be.

“Come on Ali, we’re missing the party!” insisted Erin as she grabbed her sister’s arm and pulled her down the stairs.

“I have to get dressed—”

“You are dressed, silly!” chuckled Erin.

Ali glanced down; instead of her casual clothes, she wore an elegant teal gown. The satin shimmered and rippled with each step, like the surface of a lagoon. Where had that come from?

The crowd greeted them in the parlor dressed in dark jewel tones. Everyone she knew was there from her coworkers and friends in Los Angeles to—

“Laila!” Ali squealed, wrapping her friend into a hug. “What’s going on? What are we doing here?”

“Having a party of course! Come on!”

Laila pulled her into the crowd. All around them people laughed, danced and drank, but something about it felt off. The colors were too bright, and the expressions were distorted. Ali was feeling dizzy like the floor was moving beneath her.

Someone grabbed her shoulder and she spun around to find her mother frowning.

“Ali! You said you would handle the flower arrangements!”

“I did,” Ali motioned toward the table, but there was no centerpiece, only an empty vase with a pile of dead flowers beside it. “What? But I—”

Erin came running from the kitchen looking horrified. “Ali! Didn’t you check the cake? It’s burning!”

“What are you talking about?”

Ali rushed to the kitchen where the oven was engulfed in flames.

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