Chapter 2

Instructions

Ruby sighed, as she skimmed through her book, making notes in her notepad as she read. “This’ll be a good thing to test. She heard the door open, and quickly put her notepad back in her pocket. She looked up, and saw a woman with purple hair, who was talking with someone with a very good sense of style. Ruby stood up, clearing her throat. “Hi! I’m Ruby, Ruxford, and you are?” She Asked. The two shook hands with her, introducing themselves. The butler watched from the door. “Now if you’ll excuse me, Ms. Pogue, and Mx. Blanks. I have to go now.” He shut the door to the library. Meanwhile, outside, Laura Butter was growing impatient at the traffic stop. The driver was still trying to move his car off the road, and the rain started to change to sleet. “Forget it. This generation isn’t going to figure out how to get their car out of the street. I’m leaving.” She got out of her taxi, paying the minimum, without tip. She opened her old black umbrella, and began walking up to the gate. A car nearly hit her, in its haste to park. It was a modern smart-car that was incredibly expensive. “Hey! Watch it you-“ She Yelled, the end of her sentence cut off by a car horn as the other drivers in line stared at the car that parked in line. The small car parked itself off to the side of the street, and a young man got out. Laura scoffed, walking up to the boy. “You almost hit me!” She snapped at the driver. He was muttering, and shaking his head. It seemed as if he didn’t notice Laura at all. He looked up to her, emotionless. Laura couldn’t help, but feel like she had seen the young man before. “Have we met?” She Asked, wracking her brain, trying to remember. The young man seemed to return to reality, shaking his head. “I-I’m Sorry about that ma’am. I assure you, it wasn’t on purpose. It’s just that the road was slick, and I was a littler, er, distracted.” He completely ignored her question about meeting him, or so Laura thought. She glared at him through her icy eyes. The wind from the rain blew the bottom of his coat open, revealing that he had a prosthetic leg. Laura froze. Finally, the features of the man clicked. “You’re Mateo Sands, correct? I believe one of my clients I used to work for uses one of your prosthetics.” She told him. Mateo nodded. “I am.” He grinned. “Would you mind if I walked with you up to the house? It’s a long walk, and being alone in the rain would be most dreadful for my mood.” He asked. Laura nodded. “I would enjoy that, and I agree. Rainy walks are most dreadful.” Soon, the other invitees realized that the car wasn’t going to move out of the way in time. They all got out, walking in little groups. Some of the invitees even knew each other previously. Azura Sori and Ara Silver rode together, and walked up together. And it seemed as though Azure Flower and Melody Wailes had seen each other before, but they walked quietly next to each other. Marsha Merbell walked by herself, content with her thoughts, the rain working like white noise as it patterned off her umbrella, and Emilia Rosatti was quick to follow, hurrying up the hill being one of the last to arrive. She walked with Rune Mystique, and the two had worked together previously with one of Rune’s publishing’s. They reached the gate, noticing Ember Nyte sprinting up the hill, soaking wet. Rune shared her umbrella, hoping to help Ember a little bit. Everyone introduced themselves to each other in the library, and were soon happily chatting, though a few of the guests were a little less social. The butler knocked on the door, opening it. The chatter stopped. The butler cleared his throat. “Hello. It is my pleasure to welcome you all to Mr. Bone’s manor. We hope you enjoy our dinner. I’ve noticed that one guest is still missing, so I will wait a few more minutes before the meal begins. In the meantime, would anyone like anything to drink?” He asked. But the orders were never completed, for there was a rapid knocking on the door. The butler smiled, clasping his hands. “Ah! It seems as though the final guest has arrived!” He opened the door, and let him in. “I present to you, Mr Eli-Luka, the final guest!” He said, cheerily.