The Epitome Of Elegance

It was a clear day. The sun sang behind the mountains as its rustic, copper colors spread in the sky across the horizon. Today's evening was going to be my last memory here. It was my first and last official farewell party of the office as our company was taken over by a superior one. Thankfully, I had already applied a resignation upon getting a better opportunity a month before, so I was not going to get into any kind of trouble.

As I entered our grand Hall, I realized that it held a different beauty today. A far more powerful and distinct aura as well. The ceilings were adorned with mellow yellow chandeliers, and the walls held meticulously painted arts and gorgeously woven tapestries. The place screamed luxury not only by its ornamented beauty but also by the people present there. Everyone had their own signature sign, but the only thing common was classic minimalism. The guys wore jet black blazers and had well-combed hair matted perfectly on their foreheads. The women wore classy, not so revealing yet beautiful sleek silk dresses; most of them had their hair cascading down their shoulders.

All my colleagues stood at a buzzy corner, and I eagerly joined them, enthusiastic and confident about enjoying this party. I knew all of them very well, so our vibes matched quickly, and I could easily engage in a harmless conversation with them. Amongst us stood someone new. I was sure she didn't work here. Upon seeing my curious looks, Sam, one of my colleagues, revealed that she was his girlfriend, Paige, who worked as a freelancer. She was the epitome of elegance. She wore a marine blue dress with a slit near her knee that hugged her tight. It was a plain satin wear which was perfect to be qualified as a party wear. Something about her very charming and friendly smile felt different. I ignored my sixth sense giving me warnings and went about a small conversation with her.

Soon we all settled at a large table close to the bartender for easy movement. As I was having my first glass of champagne whilst talking to my colleague, who was also my good friend, Amy, I felt the air in the room suddenly grow awry. Something felt out of place. At that point, I found Sam's new acquaintance missing. I paid no need to it and asked Amy to excuse me as I needed to use the restroom. I needed a prep talk, which took about 15 minutes.

On my way back to the table which I left just a few minutes ago, I saw a dim glimmer of light at the dark end of the corridor. Out of curiosity, I went there just to see Paige there with an empty glass of wine whose edge was broken. I called out her name only to be ignored twice. She just turned to me with a creepy smile. She had wiped her makeup off. Her eyes teeth were looking crooked and her face withered.

I felt a pang in my heart. My hands were sweating, and I was scared to the core. I half-heartedly returned her smile and made my way back to the table. I was in a trance the whole time after that, not able to comprehend what I had seen. I wasn't sure if it was real or hallucination. I hoped with all my might that it was a hallucination for if not then I pity Sam more than ever but dare not say that out loud. I might as well end up learning he is is the of the similar. Am I?