A Strange Invitation

A very strange man moved into ... my apartment building ... he was very oddly put together though he was quite sophisticated and polite but, oh my he was tall and huge but I liked his voice ~ it was baritone like one would expect in an opera and I had heard him singing through his apartment door ~ I met him in the elevator one day having just come home from grocery shopping my arms were full and I struggled and he offered to help me carry my groceries I did not hesitate ~ at my door I had a closer look at him it looked like he had been in a terrible accident don't pity me Miss, I have had these scars all my life ~ Not long after I received and invite to a tea party hosted by him I thought it strange that a man would have a tea party but I thought why not (the note said must wear mask) so on the day noted I made my way ... to his apartment ... and knocked he opened the door with a flouish (do come in) ... ~ it seemed I was the first to arrive for the party I looked around his apartment and his gruesome mask oh that was his face the room was filled with antiques... it suited him .... he brought out the tea and cups ~ Oh, Mr. Frankenstein should we not wait ... for the others to arrive .... to begin the tea party oh, there will be no others, he replied this is a tea party for two and he smiled strangely at me ~ no others I gulped, no others he repeated I was never heard of again though the police looked you see, Mr. Frankenstein was making himself a wife ~ when the police knocked on his door ... the apartment was empty except for a teapot and two cups (and a mask) ... ___________________ July 31, 2021 Poetry/Narrative/A Strange Invitation Copyright Protected, ID 07-1376-764-31 All Rights Reserved, 2021, Constance La France Written for the Standard contest, Frankenstein's Tea Party sponsor, Joe Maverick, Judged 09/26/2021