The Thanksgiving Feast

The large dining room was barely lit with candles and small lanterns. It looked more like a place to mourn as opposed to a place to feast. The large dining table was set with the finest silver and was also lit by candlelight. Sitting around the table were seven individuals who had more than giving thanks on their minds. On one side sat Michael Orrly and his wife, Patricia. Michael was a large man, pushing the three-hundred-and-fifty-pound mark. He was well dressed in a fine suit and his brown hair was neatly trimmed along with a well-groomed mustache. His wife was every bit as elegant as her husband appeared to be. Her brown hair was worn up in a very precise bun that no doubt took several hours and several cans of hairspray to produce. She was dressed in a strapless blue dress and her neck was adorned by very expensive jewels. She was several years younger than Michael and because of her very attractive beauty, many knew that Patricia was with Michael solely for financial reasons. Her long list of lovers was evidence to that fact. One of her known lovers was sitting directly across from them. It was Michael’s cousin, Jake Orrly. The complete opposite of Michael, Jake had rugged good looks and was known to wear blue jeans and plain colored tee shirts. He had some cash, but no where near as much as his portly cousin, so Patricia got what she wanted from one, and then what she needed from the other. That made Michael and Jake natural enemies, but this visit wasn’t a social call, it was business. The other four family members sitting at the table were not any more well liked. In fact, all seven pretty much hated each other.

The eldest of the group was Michael’s sister, Cynthia Orrly, who sat at the back end of the table. She was as snobbish as a person can get. Money was all that mattered to her. She had no husband or children, mostly because she had no desire to share any of her wealth. Her hair was gray and well permed. Her clothes were the finest from France and her jewels were worth hundreds of thousands. Needless to say, she was the most hated at the table, and the feelings were mutual. Sitting next to Jake were two other cousins, Kyle and Zachary, the twins. Despite being brothers and sharing the same face, they also had no use for each other. They were as greedy and unlikable as the rest of the Orrly’s sitting at the long wooden table. They were both dressed in identical suits and their hair were styled in the same fashion. The only difference between the two was the thin mustache that sat above Kyle’s upper lip. The final member at the table was the youngest. Nina Orrly was only twenty-three years old and was a cousin to Michael and Cynthia. Her parents had died in a car crash and she acquired their share of the Orrly wealth.

Money was the driving force behind the Orrly clan. The family had earned their fortune during the war when the family found a way to create and sell ammunition and engine parts to the United States government. After the war they sold their assets to different organizations around the world, including some questionable deals with guerrilla warfare fighters and black-market dealers. The only honorable member of the family who maintained her wealth was Mildred Orrly.

Mildred bought and sold stocks and used her money to build and structure the town of Orrville that her family had founded. She was seen as a Saint in the small town and decided to stay there in the family mansion while the other family members took their money and ran, only returning to try to squeeze more money out of Mildred and the family vault.

“Do any of you know why Mildred has summoned all of us here tonight?” Jake asked dryly as he poured himself some champagne.

“It’s Thanksgiving” Nina replied in her bubbly voice.

“That has never mattered before” Cynthia argued, “there hasn’t been a Thanksgiving dinner in this home in nearly twenty years.”

“That’s because none of you can stand being around each other” Patricia added softly as she sipped her drink.

No one could argue that fact.

“So, if it is not for the holiday, the why the hell are we here?” Kyle asked with noticeable irritation and impatience in his voice.

No one could answer that question. Mildred had little to do with the family. She only spoke with them when they came crawling back to get more money. Even then she simply wrote them a check and sent them on their way. This mysterious get together was completely out of character for her.

“Maybe she is just trying to make us a family again” Nina said in a cheery voice. That comment brought uproarious laughter from the rest of the guests. Nina felt a bit foolish but wouldn’t let it show. She just snubbed her nose in the air and ignored their ridicule.

The room suddenly went silent when the large dining room door slowly opened, and the large family butler walked into the room. The guests all stared over at him and waited with anticipation. He then stepped aside and allowed a small man wearing glasses and a wrinkled suit to walk into the dining room. He took off his hat and handed it to the butler. As the large servant left the room the tiny man walked over to the head of the table and sat his briefcase down in front of him. Then his eyes went from family member to family member studying their dumbfounded and curious expressions.

Finally annoyed with the overly dramatic entrance Zachary broke the silence, “who the hell are you and where is Mildred?”

The tiny man replied in a soft, innocent voice, almost like a child.

“My name is Albert Hornsworthy, I am Miss Orrly’s attorney.”

“You?” Michael bellowed in a deep thunderous voice, “you’re a lawyer?”

This brought another wave of laughter from the guests. Mr. Hornsworthy clasped his hands around his back and waited. His eyes studied the family members. Watched as their cold faces formed mocking grins and smiles. His expression of seriousness did not change. He was not amused, nor was he insulted by their childish insolence. He simply waited patiently.

“Why the hell are we here, little man?” Cynthia asked in her snobbish tone.

“Your presence was requested by Miss Orrly to celebrate Thanksgiving” Hornswrothy replied.

“Bullshit” Jake replied, “the old bitch never asked us to come out here before, why now?”

Hornsworthy eyes stared at him coldly. He obviously did not like the expletives being thrown at his client and friend.

“As some of you may know, Miss Orrly is very ill” the tiny man continued, “due to her illness she wanted to take this time to bring you all together and discuss the future of the Orrly family and division of her assets.”

“She is dying?” Patricia asked with a smile. She did not even try to hide her excitement. Mildred was the richest member of the Orrly family. They were all waiting for her to die to not only to have unsolicited access to the Orrly fortune that was left in her care, but also to get their hands on her fortune as well. It was going to be the ultimate payday for the greedy kin.

“She is” Hornsworthy said looking down sadly.

“Finally” Zachary said slamming his hand down on the table.

The group began to chatter and bicker amongst themselves about who was the most deserving to get the controlling share of the fortune. Hornsworthy looked up at them with disgust. Their greed made him sick for sure, but their lack of respect and care for Mildred was almost unbearable. He had been Mildred’s lawyer for nearly forty nears and she was his best friend.

“Where is the old battle axe now?” Jake asked curiously, “why isn’t she here to tell us herself?”

“She is not well” Hornsworthy replied, “but she does have a microphone and the PA system has been hooked up, so she can relay her message to you, however, she will not hear you and you will not be able to speak to her.”

“Too bad” Cynthia said holding up her champagne glass, “I was hoping to tell her what a bitch she is, and I hope she burns in hell.”

The dining room door opens and the butler rolls in a large speaker sitting atop a wheeled cart. He parked it beside Mr. Hornsworthy and then stood at attention.

“I will now connect you with Miss Orrly” Hornsworthy said and turned on the small stereo system.

There was a moment of anxious anticipation and then the soft voice of Mildred Orrly came through the speaker.

“I wish I was there to see your dumbfounded faces, but alas, my time in this world is coming to it’s end. Oh, how that must make you all very happy. You leeches have been laying in wait for years for this day.”

“Just hurry up and fucking die” Zachary yelled out at the faceless box.

“She can’t hear you stupid” Kyle said looking over at his brother. Zachary just shot him an annoyed glance.

“As much as it saddens me to know that I am going to be leaving this world behind” Mildred continued, “I at least have the satisfaction of knowing that I am leaving behind an honorable legacy for the Orrly name. Nothing like the travesty that you have all left in your wakes. Broken hearts, broken dreams, and in some cases, broken bodies. Yes, I know of how you do business Michael. Cynthia you have left behind a trail of broken businesses and families left without any security. Patricia, you’re just a whore.”

“Bitch” Patricia said with a look of shock on her face.

“Kyle and Zack, two beautiful faces, and two terrible minds who no nothing about what being true men are meant to be, and Nina, so innocent, and so stupid. You have used your body to get what you want out of life and not your mind. Such a waste.”

“That was mean” Nina said defensively as Hornsworthy turned off the speaker.

“What is the point of all this?” Michael grumbled angrily, “to remind us that we are less than saintly?”

“Just get on with it” Cynthia added with equal annoyance.

Hornsworthy turned on the speaker and waited as the voice of his client continued her speech.

“So, now to the point of you being brought here.”

“About time” Kyle said impatiently.

“My illness has forced me to accelerate my plans for the Orrly family fortune, as well as my own personal fortune. So, here it is. I have decided to secure our families legacy by donating all of the Orrly fortune to the people of the town of Orrsville.”

“What!” the group shouted angrily. Hornsworthy raised his hand to calm everyone and allow her to continue.

“Now I know that your greedy minds will find this hard to process but there are people out there that do not share in your wealth or position.”

“Fuck them” Jake shouted defiantly. The rest of the group mumbled their agreement.

“Therefore, they will have full access to the family wealth and will do what is best for the town. There is a stipulation that the family mansion must not be sold or rented to anyone and shall remain in its original state for as long as the town stands. The servants will remain here and will handle the upkeep, and nothing may be removed from the mansion to be sold. Sorry leeches but the family heirlooms are hands off.”

“You fucking bitch” Michael growled.

“She cannot hear you” Hornsworthy smiled.

Michael stared at him with fiery hatred. This was not fair, and he was not going to allow it.

“So, now that brings me to what I leave to you blood suckers” Mildred continued. Suddenly metal hoops shot out from the bottoms of the chair arms and wrapped around the hands of the family members. Then a large hoop shot out from around the back of the chairs and locked around the chests of the guests. They all began to shout and curse as they struggled to get free.

“What is this?” Cynthia cried out.

“You are in no danger” Hornsworthy proclaimed, “this is just a precaution.”

“Precaution from what?” Jake demanded.

“Just allow us to continue” Hornsworthy proclaimed with a more aggressive tone. The family stopped arguing and listened.

“For years all you have wanted was blood” Mildred continued, “mine and others.”

The family members struggled to free themselves from their metal binds as they listened to their missing family member explain, “you have waited like vultures to feast on my dying bones for as long as I can remember.”

Their attention was diverted to the sound of the double doors that led to the kitchen opening up. Then there was the smell. The foul smell of burning flesh.

“Now you will have your chance” the voice on the speaker continued. Nina screamed in horror as a large man wearing a blood covered kitchen apron rolled a large cart into the dining room. On the cart was the naked, roasted body of Mildred Orrly. Her bottom was sticking up in the air and her face was laying flat on the cart surface. An apple had been stuffed in her mouth and she was surrounded by roasted potatoes and vegetables. Her dead eyes stared at her horrified family members who were unable to move from their places at the dinner table.

“Sadly, Miss Orrly passed away last night from her illness” Hornsworthy explained as the cook rolled the cart over to the head of the table and picked up a large cleaver and a sharpening knife. Then he began to slowly sharpen the cleaver in a way to send chills through the horrified bodies of the captured guests.

“But she still wanted you to have her for dinner” Hornsworthy said ominously. The voice on the speaker had one more message to share…

“Happy Thanksgiving”.