The Banquet

The dawn skies burn brightly bronze, the sun suffocated by ruddy soot clouds. Flames born from thrown torches dance on straw rooftops, their rhythmic steps following the discordant song of howling agony. Pain stains the deadlocked roads, yet the shades of horror do not seem to penetrate the ornate walls of the Manor that stands unwavering against the heat.

The Lady and Lord, donning their finest dress and jewels, sit in their lavished dining room, their open windows in full view of the disgust that collects below them. Perfume of iron and ash seeps past the windowpanes. It sits at the table with them like a dignified guest invited for dinner.

The table is filled from edge to edge with picked fruits, fresh breads, soups, tender mutton, rare cuisines, and several bottles of expensive wine. The Lord and Lady eat with waning crescents resting on their lips, silently consuming their meals down to bone and crumb, and bottles emptied.

“What do you think of the dishes, my dear?” the Lord asks.

The Lady answers, “It’s sweet as lead.”

Need more haunted fiction? We’ve got plenty at the MockingOwl Roost!

• Chorus of the Waiting – Short Story
• Dandelion Garden – Poetry
• Sleep Paralysis Demon or Religious Trauma? – Flash Fiction
• Mrs. Morris and the Vampire, a Halloween Fiction Review
• A Dream – Short Story
• Ghost Talker Fiction Review

Savannah Hernandez

+ posts

Savannah Hernandez is a creative story writer, poet, and visual artist who graduated from Cal Poly Pomona University with a Bachelors in English Literature. Her themes often focus on healing, growth, and reflections on life.

Find more on Savannah’s website.

• Compost
• Forgotten Burials
• Dandelion Garden
• A Silent Hello, An Unsaid Goodbye