The Empty Chair

Every month in the country club the business sector held their board meeting .

One month as it happened to fall on Halloween , the Chairperson thought it might be a novel idea for the directors to come to the meeting wearing some costume and to add a little extra for the occasion the manager of the country club placed decorations and provided food and drinks for the evening .

Over the years the county club had been well paid for looking after the directors of BET or "The Big End Of Town ."

The country club in return had reserved car spaces for all the directors of BET . There were eleven directors and one executive director . They all drove large luxury cars and wanted for nothing .

So at Halloween just before the board meeting a small group of waitresses where placed at the reception of the country club to welcome the Directors of BET .

All the waitresses where dressed up as Ghouls and Witches .

The first person through the door was a man dressed up as a caveman .

He had a large in gold leaf covering his essentials and he was carrying a large club in his hand . It didn't take long to see who it was . He was ther chief executive of the board and was welcomed by one of the waitresses with a tray of drinks .

"Well hello ,Mr Arthur Alfredo . Welcome ."

She handed him a small glass with Brandy which was his favourite .

Behind Mr Alfredo walked the Frankenstein monster complete with size 39 boots and a bolt through his neck . It was impossible to work out who it was so one of the waitresses approached him with a tray and said .

"Would you like a drink Mr Frankenstein ."

Frankenstein replied in a harsh slurred tone ,

"Yess , drriinnk ."

He said and wandered in to the main bar and ordered a beer . At first the patrons were shocked until they realised it was some kind of Halloween celebration . Frankenstein drank down his beer spilling most of it over the floor and himself . He then headed upstairs where the board meetings were held .

One by one more directors of the club arrived in the car park . A steady flow of cars pulled into the reserved spots . Out from their cars emerged men and women dressed in strange weird get ups . A wide selection of characters dressed as nuns ,cowboys , judges , nurses and police made their way into the club .

Drinks were provided as soon as they walked in . They all slowly made their way to the boardroom where a smorgasbord awaited them on a side table .

There was an empty carvers chair in the cornet of the room . It looked a little odd but no one actually took and notice of it . The chair was draped in velvet upholstery and had unique carvings on the wood at the back and also on the legs . It almost resembled a throne .

The chatter in the room grew louder and everyone devoured the snacks and finger food .

As usual the chairperson rang a bell to indicate that the board meeting was about to begin .

All the directors sat down except for one who was dressed as a Judge .

The judge walked over to the strange empty chair and pulled off his head that dripped with blood all over the floor .

With sheer horror before them they were struck dumb in fear .

Some tried to scream but couldn't . Their voices had been locked shut .

"The judge placed his head on the table and walked back to the strange chair where he sat down . The headless judge pointed to each corner of the room where four ghostly figures stood , each holding a book .

The head on the long table spoke .

"Sit down . There are some issues that need to be discussed ."

One of the directors tried to run for the door but was unable to pass through this strange purple mist that fell from the ceiling and draped the board room like a curtain .

"There is no escape until the meeting is finished . Sit down . "

All the directors took a seat and the headless judge asked the first ghostly figure to approach the table . From one of the corners came a woman holding a red book in her badly disfigured hands .. Her body was covered in a white sheet that she removed as she approached the table , Her body was twisted and her skin covered with these terrible burns and scars . She asked permission to speak .

The head on the table told her to begin .

""Hello , My name is Hanna Hardway . I am a retired chief executive . I am glad to be able to address you at this meeting tonight ."

She opened the red book ,

"I have all your credentials and identifications here in this record of souls . The first item on tonight's agenda is a quick check of your names . "

Each name was confirmed with a simple , yes ,confirming who she has said they were .

No one protested . No one knew what was happening . No one knew what would happen next .

The head on the table spoke .

"Before Hanna continues her business I want you all to know that the power of speech and the ability to move has been withheld from you all until the end of this meeting .

Hanna Hardway then spoke .

"I'd like to ask everybody here if they've heard of Hades ?"

No one spoke .

Hanna continued .

"I am from the hot plate of Hades floor . My reason for coming is to save you the horrible existence I must endure for an eternity . From this day you must all repay your debts and give back what you owe . If you refuse this warning your names in this little red book will be entered for an eternity . Your future then will be with me on the hot plates of hell ."

The head on the table spoke again .

"Read the charges Hanna ."

One by one Hanna addressed the dishonest dealings and the business each director had been involved with after their nomination and then duly elected

Directors of the board .

The head on the table spoke .

"I'm sure you all know we're not here to recount all the sins of your past but instead to make a fresh start for future . "

Hanna Hardway replied ,

"That is true . The sins of greed and dishonesty have corrupted your souls to a point where your names are now in my little red book . This is your first and last warning . Abide by the law on earth or else join me on the hot plate of

Haded floor an eternity .

She covered her body with the white sheet and returned to the corner .

The Judge on the chair pointed to another corner of the room and another ghostly figure approached the table with a large black book in his hands.

He asked permission to speak and was told to address the meeting .

" My name is Bobby Header . Some call me Bob . Other call me B Header and I am not a nice person . Thank you Judge . My business here is not to give any warning . I am here to collect a soul . I have an order here in this black book . The name I have before me is to accompany me now for punishment in a place so far away and the execution of this order has to be carried out this evening . There is no one or nothing that can save this person . He is to join the dammed this very night ."

"Tell us the charge and reveal the name "

The head on the table said .

B Header continued ,

"According to the information here , one of the directors had been offered a contract . Many years ago he wished for wealth and for fame . The person on this list placed his very soul as collateral . The money has was give has been wasted on drugs and prostitution . Recently he was extended another contract to save his soul . In order fo that to happen he was to corrupt ten other souls . The names of those ten are here in this room but their time has not come to accompany me yet . Anthony M Heny . Your time has come and for the rest of eternity you will spend in a place so horrible I cannot begin to tell you the darkness of the hole that awaits ."

A few of the directors became fidgety as a magnetic force pulled Mr Heny from his chair and threw him into the corner of the room where a black smoke surrounded him . The ghostly figure of Mr B Header walked back to the corner and placed a chain around Mt Henys neck . They were engulfed in a black shadow that no one could see what had become of them .

The judge pointed to another corner of the room and a child shrouded with rags walked to the table surrounded in a bright light .

The child asked permission to speak .

The head on the table spoke .

"Continue child ."

" One of the directors present here this evening owes me an apology . It was on his say that my parents and I were to be evicted from our home . That was the decision he had made and handed over to a certain financial institution who carried out his will . Since that day my parents committed suicide and I was placed into an orphanage where I was abused and eventually killed by the person who wanted to keep his actions hidden forever . His debt has been addressed but the director present here tonight needs to apologise to my parents and myself for what his decision had done and begin to work as a volunteer to help the needy , the orphans and those who are in hardship for the rest of his life ."

The headless judge in the chair pointed to the last corner of the room where two figures joined together by a rope around their neck walked over to the table and stood beside the child .

The two figures asked permission to speak .

The head on the table said ,

"You may address the meeting ."

"We are the parents of this child . After we lost our jobs we were driven into poverty . Employers used and abused us as we tried to get out of the financial difficulties we were in . Interest rates went up , we couldn't afford the mortgage repayments and we had ran out of options . We decided to end it all one cold Halloween evening here in this very club . The cleaner found us in the morning in the staff toilets . Both of us were hanging together side by side with a note . All we're asking is your apology My Alfredo ."

But no matter how he tried , the chief executive couldn't speak .

"All we're asking is a simple sorry ."

Said the child .

Mr Arthus Alfredo could utter a sound . Tears fell from his eyes and ran down his face , but he could not wipe one of them away .

The head on the table said ,

"Sometimes its too late to say sorry . "

The child and his parents walked back to their corners .

The headless jusge went over to the table and picked up his head and placed it back on his neck then h said .

" The meeting has ended . Everyone here must change or we will see you again at a special extraordinary meeting that will be arranged at a time convenient to us ."

Shocked and worried about the future the directors returned to their cars and began immediately to write letters and make phone calls . They had one chance left to change .

No one bothered to talk about the events that took place that Halloween but things did change for the better .

As time moved on the country club building was demolished and an orphanage build in its place .

Many charities were receiving large donations from an anonymous source .

New organizations sprung up to provide help in the community with free medical and financial support for those who were suffering hardship .

There was something nice about life in a town where people used to be greedy and glum .

The End