Dead Elite

Chapter 1. The Perfectionist Elitist

Flashback. 

Sunday, 04 March 2018.

High Tower Manhattan, New York City.

The glamourous industry always feels so luxurious. People are wearing fancy dress, and just all of the good stuff. And that night, the wild party will begin again.

The city lights look sparkling from outside the glass window. The fireworks fly in the night sky. People start clapping their hands when watching the spectacular view together.

“It’s great. I see that people love this party,” Sheryl says to her boyfriend. “I’m sure my mama and papa will proud of me! I have arranged everything so perfectly!”

“Well, you’re the perfectionist. What more can I say?” Jack whispers in her ear.

Sheryl chuckles, but then she just realizes there are pair of eyes that sometimes stealing a glance cynically at her.

“Ugh, look at that,” she mutters while her eyes are staring at the trio of clique girls.

Those pretty girls don’t like her for sure. They just officially become enemies after what happened last month. The breakup scandal really gets them for despising her existence.

“What a pretentious Beefy girl. I just don’t like her at all,” one of the girls mutter deliberately as she drinks a glass of red wine.

“Why is it that she always giving me that annoying look?” Sheryl asks.

But the girls hear what she says, and thus, they approach her.

The bold one, who looks Latina is staring intensely at her. “I heard you, b***h. Why don’t you say it in front of my face, if you dare?”

Sheryl shrugs her shoulders ignorantly and says, “Well, I’m just asking a question, Sonia.”

The other one, the blonde girl with delicate smile looks at her cynically while crossing her arms defensively. “Do you really want to know why everybody actually is not so into you?”

And then slightly, Sheryl steals a glance at her handsome boyfriend. And thus, Jack immediately rolls his eyes in annoyance.

“Okay, Illana, please don’t make a scene,” Jack warns her.

It feels so awkward every time his ex-girlfriend speaks with him intentionally. It’s like Illana doesn’t want to give him up yet.

The other one, the red hair girl with red lips shouts angrily back at him, “Nobody is making a scene, but Sheryl always provokes us!”

“Emilie…”

Before he gets to talk back, the other kids just come to them with their happy smile.

It’s his young cousin. They almost look alike, except that Alec has more depth in his smile than Jack that looks flatter. And then he asks curiously, “Hey, what are you guys up to? Why looking so serious, huh?”

Their other friends also come to celebrate the party. Jazz and Barbara always come side by side. They almost look like a romantic couple, except that they are not.

“Okay, whatever. The fireworks session is finished! It’s time to start the next big thing!” Sheryl shouts out loud between them.

“Ugh, what is it again?” Sonia mutters ignorantly.

“As we are the representative of The Elite club, and therefore, my parents as the owner of Wine & Co want us to celebrate this wild party tonight! It has to be a big success!” Sheryl reminds them all.

“This is literally the party for the elitists, what else are you expecting?” Emilie snaps.

Sheryl pretends coughing in front of them, but in truth, she is just behaving annoyingly as she always does.

“I know that you’re a bad attention seeker, but please, save yourself for the argument’s sake,” Sonia snaps sarcastically as well.

“Oh, oh, you’re just jealous, because I have parents who own the kingdom of French wine,” Sheryl intentionally teases her. “Alright, whatever, we should get inside. The speech is about to start soon.”

And then they immediately glance at Alec. He smiles stiffly at them.

“Okay, guys, I know you already found out about what I’m about to do here,” Alec says.

His hands seem trembling a little. He looks nervous as well.

“I will congratulate you for your good speech, Alec. I know you can do it,” Jazz says, motivating him.

And Barbara also shouts along, “Yes, I’m sure that you can do it. You’re the best public speaker among all of us.”

And thereafter, they are all entering the ballgown together. The party guests are all ready to hear his speech.  Alec is about to become part of this big successful company. He is very nervous, of course. But he is also excited to have this golden opportunity in his hands.

It takes only several minutes for him to finish his formal speech. And then, everyone starts clapping for his successful speech.

Once Alec reunites with the Elite club again, Jack stands between them and starts shouting excitedly, “Let’s celebrate this annual party together!”

“Yes, my Babe, let’s drink the champagne now!” Sheryl says as she flirts with her curvy eyelashes again, making Sonia wants to puke on her.

They start tossing their glasses in the air. And once they drink the champagne, all of a sudden, Barbara coughs her throat so badly. Everyone immediately looks worried at her.

“Hey, Barbara, are you okay?” Jazz asks quickly while caressing her back.

“What’s wrong?” Jack asks bewilderingly.

“The… the wine feels fiery… I can’t breathe,” Barbara stumbles when she talks. It seems she is in a real pain while keep on rubbing her own throat.

And that’s when the horror show begins. Emilie can sense the danger. She feels a terror is snapping in the back of her head. She doesn’t want to trust her burning thoughts, but it is definitely happening here like a suspense movie.

“Woah! Slow down there, Miss Girly Dolly,” Sheryl shouts in annoyance. “Don’t you dare blaming this wine. Our product quality is definitely excellent!”

“Sheryl!” Jack alerts her. “Don’t, please, not right now…”

Sheryl squints bewilderingly at him. She doesn’t understand what is actually really happening in front of her. And what she can do is just thinking about herself and her things.

While Barbara keeps on writhing in pain, “Please, my throat is on fire! Please help me!”

Emilie looks at her, feeling confused. “What’s actually happening? Hey, Barbara…”

And then the glass of champagne that she holds finally fall of her hand. When it breaks on the floor, everyone starts looking at them bewilderingly.

Barbara screams again, “My chest is really hurt! I can’t breathe! Please help!”

“We should bring her to the hospital! Quick!” Alec shouts alertly. Jazz and Jack nods immediately with his firm order.

But before they can bring her to the parking lot, Barbara already collapses on the floor and closes her eyes at the same time, leaving everyone in a panic situation.

The fiery champagne finally takes her soul away from her. It must be poisonous for sure that it kills her almost immediately.

If dead is really this scary, then this moment definitely feels like the end of the world for all of them. But what is the odd? What is the future will hold for these perfectionist elitists?