Cannibal Mansion

They had just finished the meat stew when and were pleased with their full bellies when a bowl was passed to each person from table to table. Everyone removed what appeared to be a single wrapper shaped into a cone and tied with a small piece of string. It was then that Ida noticed something strange. Every single child had been passed over, only those that looked to be in their mid teens and older had received it. A feeling of dread filled her as the necklace Belle gave her burned far hotter then it usually did with the way the world was to the point it was nearly unbearable as her hand approached one of the wrappers and she immediately moved her hand to another. Something's wrong. What was in that wrapper that was so dangerous Belle's magic responded to it? Her eyes watched Patrick as she handed him the bowl and she watched as he tensed before his eyes met hers. He pushed the offending item to the bottom subtly as he removed another. The leader stood then to speak.

"I hope you all enjoyed the meal. Now it's time to find the next person who will gratify us with their body . . . thus receiving eternal life."

"What did he just . . . do you understand what he's saying?" Patrick looked at the man before turning back to Ida.

"Did we just eat another person?" Ida asked feeling ill as Simone head snapped so hard to look at her where she was seated with a glare on her face.

"Ida! How could you ask something like that!" Simone scolded her as Patrick lurched forward in his seat and began dry heaving as he moved his hand to his mouth and forced himself to vomit the contents of his stomach. The others in the room merely staring on as if there was something wrong with them. The leader walked around to their side of the table, messing Patrick's hair as he passed.

"It's ok. It's ok now."

"Karen?" Simone questions the woman who has been their guide during their time here and the woman smiles as she reaches over and takes her hand in her own gently, reminding her so much of her mother. There's no way, just no way. This can't be happening.

"It's the ultimate love you have been fortunate to experience." Simone moves to stand, ripping her hand away from Karen with a heartbroken expression. "Sit down." The leader grasps her shoulder and pushes her back down into her seat. "Once you've partaken of the meal, you're part of the community. The one who finds a flower in the wrapper is the chosen one and will come to the basement directly . . . to give their life to us." It was then that Martin made his way through the darkened hallway behind the man and grabbed him. The leader turned to face him not expecting the blow from Martin's fist that knocked him on his ass. The man quickly stood back up holding his nose.

"Stop! Stop it now!" The blonde man that had helped Ida earlier appeared with Martin's gun in hand, immediately aiming it at him. "Step away! Step away from him!" The blonde poked at the air in front of him with the gun aimed at him. Martin knew from the way he held it the man had never shot before and he couldn't take the risk the man wouldn't start shooting with the others seated at the table in front of him. "You can't stop this now. Your friends have to stay here . . ."

"Martin." Simone called his name in desperation, her eyes not leaving his form despite him not once looking her way.

"They have to stay until we've found a flower."

"I'll start." The leader said his voice somewhat off likely from the blow to his face. Untying the string and opening the wrapper the man found nothing within. While noticeable to most Ida caught the subtle upturned twitch of his lips despite his heavy facial hair and she knew that despite the random draw he clearly had a way to find out which of the wrappers held a flower. "Go ahead." Martin watched in worry as each of them opened the wrappers unsure if Belle's protection magic would recognize the threat to them without a person meaning them harm specifically.

Each of the three opened their wrappers and the leader frowned at the fact each was empty before straightening his face. Simone's hands shook even as she flattened them against the clothed table. His eyes glancing amongst those sat at the table. One of them should have picked it. His eyes widened minisculely as he took in the one holding the dried white and red flower "I think we've found the chosen one." Perhaps they had gotten lucky. Simone looked at the bearded man and followed his eyes.

"No." She whispered. There in Karen's hand was a small dried flower.

Ida and Patrick both recognized it from one of Belle's books that she had shown them and forced them to memorize which showed poisonous plants and realized exactly why it was their necklaces reacted so strongly. There in their guide's hand was an Oleander flower, one that was fatal and considered amongst the top 10 most common poisons in the world. Even having it touch your bare skin could cause a reaction especially if one touched the sap it released. Both remembered reading of how the poison of the flower in the woman's hand was so strong it could poison a person who had simply eaten honey made by bees who had digested its nectar. A single leaf of the plant could kill a child if ingested and yet despite it's poisonous nature people had apparently used it to decorate their homes so much that it actually was a good thing that they had learned to recognize the damn thing on sight because they came across it often.

Karen stood and spoke to those in the room without a glance to Simone. "I would like to thank all of you because you've given me the opportunity to be one with you. It's a huge honor for me to live on in you." She smiles as speaks as though truly believing the words and Simone cannot help the utter devastation she feels at that moment despite only knowing the woman for a short while. "Thank you." She turns and follows the dark haired woman who had caught Martin snooping outside the kitchens just earlier that day.

"Now all has been revealed. You can either go or stay. Do as you please." The leader spoke and the three quickly rose from their seats. "But you won't find a better place than this." Fuck that shit. Martin thought to himself. Martin pushes the others forward, not once showing the cannibals his back.

They made their way to the way they had entered before, standing at the steps waiting. A small group of the leader what is probably his inner circle following shortly after. "We want our backpacks and my gun." Even if the magic on it will return it to him he can't take the risk of them noticing and coming after them. The leader doesn't respond but instead heads back inside while the others remain.

Simone pushes past Martin. "What was in that syringe?" She asks the blonde haired man. He presses his lips together and visibly gulps. "You know something." She presses despite Martin calling her name in warning. "You know something. Tell me!" She steps closer to him then as the man makes eye contact with her. "You know my dad? Frederik Andersen?"

"Yes." He answers not noticing the leader has returned and stands watching, listening behind him. "We did it. We destroyed the world. But it will be better when-" The leader grabs his shoulder and he stops. Ida and Martin both see the look on his face and are instantly on edge.

"Come on Simone. We have to go. We have to go now." Ida says grabbing the girl and pulling her once they have their bags. Slowly they make the trek back into the woods, Martin following the comforting pull he feels that will lead him back to his Belle.

"What now?" Patrick asks as they pause to get their flashlights working. "It's just another place none of us would be safe. You and Belle got a plan Martin? Or are we just going on this fucking mission to find the girl's daddy who brought this shit down on all of us?" He speaks just low enough that Simone won't hear him from where she hovers a few feet away from them and Ida.

"Not here." Martin says just as lowly before glancing back at the girl before making eye contact with Ida and him. It's as they get they light working and are about to move on the blonde man Simone had pressed for information walks into the light from behind the trees.

"You want to know what's in the syringe?" He asks Simone, eyes locked on her form as he holds it out in his hand. "I thought it would save the world but instead everyone died." Martin steps back, aiming the assault rifle at the man. The man's brings the syringe up and injects himself.

"No!" Simone screams and tries to reach him but Ida grabs hold of her. They watch on as the man froths at the mouth, bloodied spit drooling from his mouth in seconds. His body begins to shake and he falls to his knees as his back arches. Martin pulls the trigger shooting him in the head, the shot echoing in the woods.

"Let's get out of this shit zone." He says looking at the others "We get the others and stop by Apollon first." Simone follows behind them her mind trying to make sense of it all after picking up the emptied syringe with the linen shirt she had worn upon leaving the mansion and wrapping the shirt around it before once more placing it in her bag.