It's A Perfect Life - another nightmare of the End Times by Jean Buckhalter

Note: I have nightmares at times and turn them into stories. A group of them fit around the End times. I have written a book filled with these short nightmares, but doubt I'll pursue publication, hence it is here to possibly give a chill or make you think.


It's A Perfect Life
a short nightmare by Jean Buckhalter

Sarah Miller’s home was as perfect as her life. On the perfectly polished dining table, buffet and sideboard the exquisitely arranged flowers gently perfumed the air while adding the proper ambiance for the festivities ahead. Sarah walked through the dining room into the kitchen where her kitchen staff was busy putting the final touches on her bon voyage party.

The crystal shone in the sunlight. The champagne chilling to the proper temperature in the temperature controlled wine cooler would be transferred to the waiting solid silver ice buckets.

Several gleaming silver trays held the finest Beluga caviar, buttered rounds of toast, chopped egg, and the requisite wooden spoon for the caviar. Other trays held all manner of appetizers and canapés. Money was no object, for this was a party to remember for the rest of her life.

Sarah nodded her approval to the kitchen staff and swept out of the kitchen. It was time to ready herself for her guests. Her personal masseuse awaited her in her suite. After an invigorating massage, Sarah took a long, luxuriant bath, glorying in the scent of the expensive perfume her personal maid had lavishly poured into the water. Drying herself on thick toweling, she slipped into the dressing gown held by her maid.

Seated at her vanity, the hairdresser arranged Sarah's hair in a most becoming and fashionable style. Sarah peered at the arrangement from every angle, nodding her approval and dismissal to the hairdresser.

Applying her make-up with a careful touch, she turned to her eldest daughter who watched from her mother's bed. "Not so bad for a fifty year old, do you think?"

Her daughter stubbed out the cigarette she was smoking with impatient fingers. "Oh mother, you know you're fifty seven, why don’t you admit it? I don't know why you're going through all this nonsense of a party. I attended Marion Kline's bon voyage party last month and hers was much more in keeping with the times. Austerity is in, don't you know?"

"Pooh. It’s my party and I was promised that it would be exactly as I wanted it to be. What time is your sister arriving? You did remind her to leave those children at home, didn’t you? I saw them yesterday and we already exchanged bon voyages, so there isn’t any need for those little monsters to ruin my perfect party." Her voice was muffled as she slipped into the dress for her party. "Honestly, I don't know how two such intelligent people as your sister and her husband produced two of the most impossible children I have ever known."

She preened before the mirror, examining her gown from all angles. Diamond and platinum ear rings were put in her ears and she reveled in the sight of the matching ring, bracelet and necklace glittering on her person. "These are rather nice, aren’t they? I’d like to leave them to you, but you know how it is. Oh, well, at least you don't have to share my engagement set with your sister, she’ll get your grandmother's jewelry instead."

Leanne shrugged and answered her mother’s question. "I told her several times. Honestly mother, I don't know why you worry so much about her. She has an excellent job at the depository and her husband is well thought of at the U.N. She always manages to land on her feet one way or another. I don't see why you had to give her Grandmother Mayer's jewelry. She's got plenty of her own, you know, and all I have is that pathetic string of pearls Daddy gave me for graduation. Not all of us have money, you know."

"Really, how you do go on and on about your poverty, it’s really quite boring. As if that matters today. Now look at me; have I ever looked better?" Sarah turned around to swirl her designer gown around still shapely ankles.

Leanne sighed in exasperation. "No, Mother, you've never looked better."


Kissing the air, her mother swept out of the room to greet her guests who had just started to arrive. Left to herself, Leanne looked around her mother’s perfectly appointed room. She checked her hair in the mirror, grimacing at the gray hairs which had started appearing at her temples. "But I won't be poor forever." She murmured.

Never had there been such a bon voyage party. Later the florist would report that several records for floral tributes had been broken. The champagne flowed freely and pounds of expensive caviar and other dainties were consumed by Sarah's guests. People she hadn’t seen for decades showed up as well as chance acquaintances. As the old saying goes, a good time was had by all.

At the height of the party, Sarah tapped on the delicate crystal champagne flute in her hand in order to gain the attention of her guests. "Well, my dearest darlings, it’s time for the big send off! I love you all madly, and want you to enjoy the rest of the party while I get ready, but save a glass for me!" Her words were slightly slurred with the amount of alcohol she had consumed. One on each side of their mother, the daughters helped her up the lovely curved staircase. At the top, Sarah turned and blew an exaggerated kiss to her guests.

Once they had helped their mother to the dressing room, Patti, her younger daughter, started crying. "Don't be such a baby. Do you want to ruin things for Mother?" Leanne thrust a wad of tissue into her sister's hand, hoping to repair the damage before their mother returned from her dressing room.

Sarah entered the room wearing a glorious golden gown, exquisite in its simplicity. Her hands shook slightly as she repaired her make up and touched up her lovely hair style.

Patti flew to her side and knelt by her mother's chair. "Don’t go, mother; I’ll have Brian fix it all somehow. Stay with us, won't you?"

"Don’t go, are you crazy or something? The arrangements were all made months ago. If mother was to back out now, well just think of all the trouble it would cause." Her sister scornfully answered while leaning over their mother to check her own make up.

Looking between both of her daughters faces, Sarah seemed to see something for the first time. A discrete knock at the door interrupted their conversation. "It's time for your trip, Madam." The maid’s voice came softly through the door.

Sarah Miller gave herself a shake and tremulously smiled at her daughters. "Come on, girls. It's time! Pull yourself together, Patti. Honestly, the big deal you make over something so trivial." A final look at the mirror, a final adjustment to the diamond and platinum jewels, a finishing dab of expensive scent and Sarah swept out of the room.

Behind her, Leanne gave a last look to the luxurious room and nodded while Patti wept softly into a tissue.

As she reached the lower landing, Sarah’s guests stood and applauded wildly. Her golden gown of tissue lame was appreciated by her guests as she regally swept to a throne-like chair set up in the very center of the great room. She embraced her guests one by one, being careful to not disarrange her perfect tresses or muss her exquisite make up, then her daughters. "Wish me Bon Voyage, darlings!" She caroled then drained a goblet of fine champagne served at the perfect temperature in an beautiful crystal flute handed to her on a silver tray by the waiting caterer.

The crowd chanted "Through the teeth and over the gums, look out Hell, here she comes!" laughing uproariously at the ancient chant with its new twist. Sarah tried to give a laugh for her guests, but was overcome by sheer terror. Alert to the signs of panic which would ruin business, the caterer standing nearby quickly shot a needle into Sarah neck which paralyzed her immediately and sped the action of the poison she had just imbibed. So adept was he, none of the guests noticed. The waiting maid caught the lovely crystal flute before it could fall to the thick pile carpeting, and carried it to the waiting caterer's apprentice.

Four of the apprentices lifted the throne of departure and silently carried it from the room. Patti had already left, escorted quickly and unobtrusively from the room so she would not spoil her mother’s bon voyage. A swiftly administered tranquilizer quieted her and a waiting aide drove her to her home.

Behind her, the party went on for three more hours, when her mother’s Perfect Year expired. The guests were driven to their homes and the house and its contents inventoried. All things in order, Leanne signed a receipt and accepted a small case of her mother's personal effects.

At the Perfect Year Catering Office, the incinerator was ready to receive the mortal remains of Sarah Miller. Her golden gown was carefully slipped from her still form. The attendant noted with satisfaction that there was no damage to the gown. "Good,” she thought "We can use this again."

The astronomically expensive jewelry was stripped from Sarah’s stiffening body and handed to the waiting attendant. A clerk in the background checked the jewelry off the inventory. The watching Security Officer accepted the jewelery case with a nod, leaving the room. Then the mortal remains of Sarah Miller were slid into the incinerator with less formality than the day's garbage.

As Leanne drove off, she debated just how she would spend her own Perfect Year. Of course, it wouldn't be for a while yet, but still, the thought was tempting. The country house her mother used was lovely, but she preferred something a bit more upscale, possibly a penthouse suite in New York City, and a chalet in Switzerland, and. . .