Blood Red Party

Four month had passed rather quickly without any incident - apart from the never-ending nightmares. Until one Monday morning, a lady dressed in ruby-red blouse with carbon-black vest, came to look for Sara in her office. Timidly she stood up to greet her.

Jia Yu, as nosy as ever, looked uneasy as her eyes lay on the woman. She immediately looked away and continued to tapping on her keyboard noisily.

The lady extended her arms and gave the most bone-chilling smile. "Hi Sara, I am Jean from the Research Department. We have been trying to contact you for almost a week and have not received any response yet. I have come personally to request for your attendance. Will you be able to make it?"

Sara was bemused, as she did not recall anyone trying to contact her. She was even more perplexed seeing both Adam and Jia Yu reactions and surmised that the lady in front of her must be someone of higher-up. Nonetheless, she accepted the invitation card given to her out of politeness. She opened it clumsily and read the invitation.

"You are cordially invited to be our guest of honour for our Blood Red Party on this date at nine o'clock in the morning." Sara's voice trailed off and looked at the calendar. "But that's tomorrow…? At nine in the morning…? This is a bit too sudden, don't you think? I don't even know why I am invited but for me to be the guest of honour is just…unrealistic...?"

"Your name pops up in the system. You should be filled with gratitude to be considered to partake in the event and accept this invitation."

"How can I? I don't even have time to apply for leave. I'm sorry but I'm afraid I have to reject this invitation."

Jia Yu was gobsmacked and Adam's eyes widened but it was Lisa who came to the rescue.

"Hi, I'm her superior. If you take her out of sudden, we will be understaffed tomorrow. Minimum requirement to apply for leave is 72 hours prior except for emergency leave. Judging on the event she is requested to attend, I can safely say that it is not an emergency," Lisa tried to handle it as professional as she could.

Jean glared at Lisa, her facial expression darkened as she stomped out of the department office. Lisa lifted her shoulders and hands in a dismissive shrug when her subordinate officers stared at her in disbelief. "What? It's protocol."

Adam clapped his hands in amazement and Jia Yu ran towards Sara, massaging her shoulder and whispered softly "You should thank Lisa. You have nooo idea what she just did!"

Sara is puzzled by their behaviour. 'Did Jean frighten me? Yes, definitely yes. She is one frightening woman but is this even worth of an applause? I get to be the guest of honour of something, isn't that a good sign? Although I don't understand why.'

Adam and Jia Yu then chattered away in a murmur as they gathered. "Hey, don't leave me out of this! I want to hear what you are saying since I am the main topic of your gossip. If not, at least have the decency to do it discreetly," Sara groaned jokingly.

Lisa took the opportunity to confront Sara while her other two subordinates is occupied. "Did you do something to offend someone?"

"M-Me? No, I would not. I wouldn't dare to!" Sara's life has been monotonous; she has a rigid day-to-day routine, which comprises breakfast, work, lunch, dinner and sleep. On weekends, she meets up with Harith once in a while. Her week had always been very uneventful that there was no way she could cause any trouble. Lisa seemed to believe her and decided to leave it as it is.

'It's a lavish event but why did the word offend comes out? Shouldn't it be what I have done right?' Sara thought to herself, trying to convince that she has misheard Lisa.

After work Sara reached home to see Harith and Bryce who were talking seriously in the room, abruptly stop the moment she entered the kitchen. Harith drew closer to Sara and asked if anything unusual happened today.

Sara sensed that Harith must have known something but brushes it off. She considered herself a nobody and the possibility of rumours started about her being as a guest of honour of a luxury event sounds too far-fetched. 'Unless a nobody rejecting an invitation to be a guest of honour be that big a deal?'

"Have you ever heard of the Blood Red Party?"

"No, not really. Why?" Harith asked. From the corner of her eyes, she could see Bryce was smacking Harith back. Sometimes she is curious why Bryce would treat Harith like an older brother. Ever since their physical argument that day, both Bryce and Harith became close friends despite they were considered rival once.

Sara eyed both men suspiciously before continuing to flip open the invitation card, "Well, I've been invited as guest of honour to that event. Not particularly sure what it is about though."

"Pfft… You?? They might as well let me be the guest of honour if a nobody can do it," Harith smirked.

"So are you going?" Bryce asked.

She ignored Harith snide remarks since she knows he meant no harm. Typical of Harith to be her personal bully since Day 1.

"No, I rejected it. It's tomorrow. Kind of short notice don't you agree? I need to submit 72 hours prior to leave approval."

"It is, isn't it? And then?" Harith coaxed, switching as if he has dual personality when dealing with Sara.

"Apparently they have been trying to contact me for a week already but I have never receive anything. I would hate to cause any inconvenience or be ostracised because of it. I mean, it is possible they deliver to the wrong person, right?"

"Yes, that is correct. But knowing what a dimwit you are, have you tried checking your mailbox?"

"Of course I did…" Sara was sure she never receive any mails but then she realised she had not checked her mailbox at all either.

"NOT! I was not expecting any mail from anyone. What about you, Bryce? You've never opened it as well?" Completely ignoring Harith annoying attitude.

"Well, let's go then and check it out. What are you waiting for? The moon?"

The three of them hastily walked out to the pigeonhole. As expected, the mailbox was filled with letters and seven of them were identical to the invitation card she received from Jean this morning.

Harith turned to talk to Bryce, "Told you she's a dimwit! She's very high maintenance to look after. She thinks she's down-to-earth but she's actually full of …" He could not finished his sentence as Sara kicked between his legs and Bryce slapped his mouth.

Pretending nothing happened, Sara continued to defend herself, "If it is so important, can't they at least give me a call to confirm if I have it? Is that not the proper way to do it or am I just being unreasonable?"

"Yes, they should have given a call for confirmation."

"It's alright. Don't think too much about it. If it is that big a deal, they would have done their best to make sure the event to go smooth sailing."

"That's right! You're probably just a replacement," Harith snickered which landed him another loud slap on his back by Bryce.

"Hahahahaha…. You're probably right. I have done my best to be as inconspicuous as much as I could," Sara concurred with Harith.

* * * * *

The next morning, her office has turned into a complete disorder. They were pacing back and forth of the room, with their phones in their hands.

"Is something the matter?" Sara asked but instantly regretted as they bombarded her back in response to her question.

"Why did you not check your phone?!!!" Jia Yu screeches.

"We've been trying to call you and have been sending you so many messages."

Sara fished for her phone at once and saw the twenty-three missed calls and five messages. It is only quarter to eight. "What's the matter?"

Lisa, who was sitting on the edge of the table, voiced out.

"Your leave has been filled in and approved by the management. I think you better get ready to attend the event. You have less than an hour to get ready and be there by nine."