Lazarus Peak

Soon it was evening, and everyone had to dress nicely as the host had invited them all to a celebratory banquet. The ship buzzed with excitement as people moved through the halls, smoothing their clothes and helping one another look presentable for what was promised to be a grand affair.

Everyone wore their best outfits—some flashy, some elegant, some gaudy with sequins and mismatched accessories—but all carried the same eager glint in their eyes, putting effort into looking their best for their first ever lavish party. The four friends entered the hall in style, they were a good looking bunch and they knew it.

The banquet was already in full swing by the time they arrived. Music filled the air, a mix of upbeat tunes and soft jazz flowing through the grand hall. The lights glittered overhead like stars, and the buffet tables overflowed with food—roasted meats, brightly colored desserts, exotic fruits—all you could eat, all too good to be true. Chatter echoed from every corner of the room as people danced, gorged themselves, and laughed without restraint. It was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of opportunity, and no one wanted to waste a second. They made sure to eat their fill, dance to their heart's content, and for the first time in a long time, forget the burdens of their everyday lives.

Children ran around blowing bubbles from plastic wands, laughing as the orbs shimmered and floated above their heads. Others played with toy guns, hiding behind pillars and potted plants. The women gathered around tables playing cards and gossiping with low voices and knowing smirks. The men, many of them now red-faced and wobbling slightly, clustered around the pool tables, half-drunk and hollering every time a shot missed or landed. No matter how nicely they were dressed, the chaos they caused made the place feel less like a luxury banquet and more like a neighborhood birthday party gone wild.

Alrick and his friends just remained in a corner, laughing at the people making a joke out of themselves.

Once everyone had had their fill, the doors opened and waiters marched into the hall pushing carts or carrying trays filled with ice cream in crystal goblets, it was a beautiful presentation. 

They were confused as they had already had dessert but no one in their right minds would refuse Ice cream. They were about to to eat when the sound of trumpets filled the hall.

Everyone froze forgetting their ice cream, attention snapping toward the main entrance where the doors had once again opened. Their eyes were drawn to the figure who stepped into the hall.

It was an impossibly beautiful woman.

She had platinum blonde hair that shimmered like liquid starlight and sharp grey eyes that gleamed with intelligence and something colder, something harder. She wore a silver-blue dress, covered in tiny crystals that sparkled with every step she took. It clung to her perfectly, every movement measured and graceful. Her presence alone shifted the atmosphere from festive to reverent. It was as if an angel had descended—or perhaps something that merely wore an angel's skin.

She stopped in the middle of the hall and smiled at everyone, "Good evening beloved guests, I hope you're all enjoying your stay so far. Regardless, just know that this is only the beginning!!", she smiled beautifully causing everyone to be enchanted.

Alrick on the other hand felt something was seriously off with her, the smile felt unsettling, disturbing. Not that she wasn't his type...well she wasn't, he didn't really find her enchanting or dazzling in the slightest, his gaze left her and looked around the hall.

His eyes narrowed when he noticed the waiters quietly sealing the exits shut, "Guys, something's seriously wrong here", he said, pulling their attention away from the woman.

"Not this again dude, keep your paranoia away for now. I'm trying to hear the pretty lady speak", Tommy said, still clearly gawking.

"Nuts for brains", Eleanor spat at Tommy before looking around the hall as well, "Actually... I'm going to agree with Alrick on this one... Some crap's about to go down", her words knocked the two back to their senses.

Before they could understand more, the pretty lady clinked her glass with a fork grabbing their attention. "I have a surprise for all you wretches!!", her voice remained surprisingly sweet but her words were filled with venom bringing everyone back to reality.

"You all... ARE GOING TO DIE!!", she laughed as her face became sinister and evil. The waiters all around the hall raised their guns towards the crowd causing people to scream and huddle up towards each other.

"What's the meaning of this?!" "Someone call 911!!" "Help us!!"

The hall fell into chaos with children crying and men breaking glass in a desperate attempt to protect their families. She watched them in disgust until she couldn't take it anymore. 

"Hey!!", She shouted out making the hall go quiet really fast, "I'm not gonna waste my time here, you wretches have a choice. In those goblets of ice cream, there are eleven beads, ten blue and one yellow. You can either accept them now or leave but I won't guarantee that it won't be in a body bag."

The crowd only heard the word 'leave' and attempted so, walking cautiously to the exits but were scared back to their spots when the waiters raised their guns every time someone got too close. The lady could only roll her eyes in annoyance and watch their sorry attempts.

"This is sad... Hey!! Before you go making yourselves cheddar cheese, there's an extension to my proposal", her voice made everyone pause. Many still thought it was a dream or some prank but most knew how real this was and her words felt like a life line.

"The proposal is... If majority of you decide to take up my 'challenge', you can be spared. Then again, if you don't make a decision in... Thirty minutes!! I'll just toss you all of the ship... not alive of course. Your choice!", she said calmly a she downed the wine in her hands happily as if to soothe her throat. Ignoring the mortified faces of the crowd.

Alrick and his friends were frozen silent for a while before Tommy's knees gave out and he fell to the ground, snapping them out of their trance, "You gotta be shitting me, this can't be real.", his voice wouldn't stop shaking as his eyes lost focus.

He looked up like he just realized something and suddenly gained the strength to run off, probably to find his family. Alex left soon after and so did Eleanor then Alrick. He searched around for them for a while before finding them somewhere near the center of the crowd.

"My god, Alrick! where the hell have you been?! Get over here now!", It was rare to hear his dad swear, at least he did it at the right time. Alrick immediately walked over to them, his three brothers hugging his legs when they saw him.

He ruffled their hair to calm them down, it didn't really work. "Dad, What do we do?", He asked his dad not bothering to not let the triplets hear him. They were smart enough to know what was going on.

"Alrick... I've already decided what's best for us right now. Everyone has already chosen to take up the proposal. The children and elderly have already been voted out as the minority that will stay behind. The invalid, disabled, pregnant and some exceptions are part of that group as well...", he paused before sighing and pulling Alrick away from the family.

"... I need you to leave with your mother and younger brothers... Your sisters and I will remain...", he said.

"What? Dad no... You can't...", he wanted to say more but his dad beat him to it.

"what then huh? If I could send you all away I would but only a few per family can be saved... Our family is already big enough as it is...", his father ran a hand over his face in frustration.

"But Dad, It might be a death trap"

"This whole fucking place is a death trap! what's the difference of one more?.. We should have listened to you son...", normally, Alrick would be happy to hear those final words but now wasn't the time of course.

"I need you to protect your mother and brothers okay? I'll try everything in my power to bring your sisters and I back safely."

" Does Mom know yet?", Alrick asked, already knowing his dad's answer.

"... She doesn't, don't tell her till we leave, Okay? That Ice cream seems important, get them together while we can and I'll sort out the beads the witch talked about.", his dad said.

"Fine... I'll get the fucking Ice cream.", He knew their talk was over and proceeded to grab as many as he could then brought it to his dad. He then led his mom and brothers over to the corner where the minority had inhabited without his mother noticing.

Soon enough, the crowd was already divided into two, their difference in sizes were apparent. Once the thirty minutes were up, the pretty lady was back at the center of the hall again.

"It seems you wretches have made up your minds right?", no one answered her question but the answer was very clear, "Good. Boys, escort our brave souls out the hall. The Saved souls should just remain where they are.", she sipped on her wine while the armed waiters escorted the challengers out. 

Alrick's dad, Frank, moved forward to hug his mother, Martha, and the triplets then Alrick who hugged him back tightly. Alrick then hugged his sisters for the first time in years.

"Take care of Mom", Mia said as she ruffled his hair, "and the squirts too", Chloe gave some advice as well before they were led out.

Martha was confused, no one told her about this. She kept on calling out for her husband but he didn't reply. She then realized what was happening and screamed, "Frank?!! Where the hell are you going?! Get back here!", she tried to run after him but Alrick held her back.

"Let go you mule! Idiot! Get your dad and sister back here right now!! Let Go! Let Go!!", she hit him as hard as she could but he didn't let go.

"Mom please calm down"

"Don't fucking tell me to calm down!! Let me go!! I hate you!!", she screamed and thrashed but when she saw he wasn't budging, she broke down into tears. He held her close trying to soothe her as she sobbed against his chest, each sob hitting him hard. He had never seen his mom cry before.

She soon calmed down and led the triplets to an near by table where she sat quietly, she needed space. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, looking round the hall to see if he could spot any of his friends.

He found Eleanor with her grandmother at a table, he walked up to her and put an arm over her shoulders, "You good?", he asked her.

" Yeah... It's just me and my grandma in our family so we didn't get chosen. What about you?", she asked.

"... Dad, Mia and Chloe Volunteered to go for the challenge thing, Mom isn't taking it too well", he sighed.

"Maybe they'll make it out safely", she said as she ate some left over ice cream.

"Yeah... How can you still even eat that crap?", he was honestly disgusted but she just shrugged.

"What? It's just Ice cream", she said making him shudder but when he was about to speak, she shoved some in his mouth causing him to swallow it.

"The hell Eleanor?", he said wiping his mouth and she just laughed, she was crazy honestly. He began nagging her but she wasn't really listening.

Soon enough, the pretty lady cleared her throat once again, calling for their attention.