HM Mafia, 11:30 PM, LYNCH #2: Skinny Dipping

Maelarya Dys'Entari was tired. It had been a long day and an even longer night.

"I need a hot bath and some relaxing music," she murmured to the vast empty room.

Looking around, she found her way to the private bathroom adjoining her bedroom. Peeking inside, she noticed it was as magnificent as the rest of the house. A large clawed tub dominated the room. A small window, set high on one wall let in just enough moonlight to see by. She moved towards the tub and turned on the water, quite hot, so she could see the steam rising from the water's surface.

"Well, no weed, but at least I can make some use of this thing," thought the beautiful actress as she lit a few candles with the red lighter she kept in her purse.

Near the bathtub, an assortment of bath salts and oils were arranged, begging to be used. It seemed as though their host had intended to provide his guests with a luxurious living space. She couldn't figure out why, as the speaking portrait was so obviously enjoying the bloodbath that was resulting from his mysterious invitations.

Finally, as the water neared the lip of the tub, she turned the knobs close and stripped her clothes off, discarding them in a corner of the room.

"It's too bad," she thought, "nobody got to see me in that outfit. Well, I suppose it will only look better after I get cleaned up a bit."

Sinking into the tub, she gritted her teeth against the heat for a few seconds, until her body adjusted. Then she leaned back and savored the heat, the water, the candlelight, and the refreshing scent of the vanilla bubble bath take her.

~.~

Half an hour later, an angry mob stood outside the voluptuous woman's door, growing impatient.

*Knock Knock Knock*

Finally, someone pushed hard, and the door swung open. The actress was nowhere to be seen. The crowd, seconds earlier shouting and yelling, now was hushed to a whisper.

"Where is she?!"

"I don't know, freak, why don't you move your scrawny ass in there so the rest of us can get a look?"

"Now calm down, we are here for the actress, remember?"

Spreading out in her room, a few pointed towards the doorway on the far wall. Light flickered and danced in the bathroom.

Moving as one, and yet without hurry, the group filtered through the door. Some noticed the steaming tub, others noticed the crumpled clothes, but before long, everyone's attention rested solely on the naked women in the bathtub, unmoving, her eyes closed.

"Is she dead?" someone finally managed, at a whisper hardly audible.

"I don't think so." And then, "No she is just asleep."

For a second, they seemed to hesitate, to rethink their decision, but it was the adult film star that moved closer.

"It is a shame, you know," he said, turning to the rest, "she looks like a great fuck."

When a few of the others looked shocked, and others irritated, he motioned to her sleeping form.

"Well are you gonna sit there and gawk or are we gonna do this?"

~.~

One by one they filed out of the bathroom. More then a few were drenched in water; the woman was surprisingly strong-willed. When at last they left the small room, a whistling screamed from behind the closed door. The whistling lasted only a few seconds, but caused enough of a stir for the mob to rush back in. The candles had gone out, so a few people pulled out matches or cell phones to illuminate the room. To everyone’s surprise the bathwater had frozen over completely. Where once steam was rising from the basin, now frost lazily spilled from the tub.

~.~

The Lawyer stood waiting in a dark corner of the dining room, where everyone returned to gather their thoughts. His sudden statement elicited a startled gasp from not a few of the guests.

“I seem to remember more people.”

The guests looked at each other guiltily, but no one answered the lawyer’s unstated question.

“Well, no matter. I have a gift for you all. We thought it might…pass the time.” From his briefcase, the lawyer pulled out a long, thin box and set it on the dining room table. “Seeing as how I seriously doubt you’ll be sleeping tonight.”

The guests barely heard him; their eyes were fixed on the box in front of them. They did not even notice when the lawyer left. It later seemed he had vanished into thin air.

~.~

“Well…who wants to give it a try?”

The guests looked at the still untouched box warily. Of course everyone knew what was inside. Anyone who had ever gone to a sleep over party as a child would have recognized it. They were as one so caught up in the presence of the ouija board that the sound of the clocks striking midnight startled many out of their wits.