The Suicide Club - Dance Studio

Previous Chapter: The Suicide Club - The Luxe Cruise

First Chapter: The Suicide Club - Introduction

 

Joining the Suicide Club liberated Raquel, but now there were not enough members for another meeting. It could be months or years before there would be another meeting. What Raquel had was the memory of Maria walking into the deep end of the Luxe pool, taking her final breath, her dead body floating in the pool. Raquel knew that the next meeting it could be her.

Raquel resolved not to miss opportunities. She enjoyed encounters but avoided relationships.

 

A few months later Raquel got an encrypted email from Jennifer. The club had not one but two new members. There would be more meetings.

The next meeting was going to be in a dance studio downtown. It was going to be a hanging party complete with a real gallows. A dance studio was an interesting choice for a hanging party Raquel thought. Would she be the one doing her final dance?

“Wear your best party dress,” the email said.

Raquel wondered what kind of a dress do you wear to a noose dancing party? Has to be my little black dress. It’s appropriate for all occasions.

 

The club event, or dance party as Raquel thought of it, was on Saturday night. This gave Raquel lots of time to shower and put on her make up. Raquel was always late but this time she was actually ready early. In spite of traffic she arrived a few minutes before the time, but almost every one was already there, including the two new members, Emily and Claire.

Emily had black hair and was wearing a striking black and gold dress with a cut out that exposed her waist on one side. Claire had auburn hair and wore a more conventional red dress. Emily and Claire had been friends since childhood.

“We've had lots of adventures together,” Emily said. “We decided to join the club together.”

“Interesting,” Hailey said. “Hang together too?”

“Not that together,” said Claire.

“No,” said Emily. “I'm ok if Claire hangs today.”

“And I'm ok if Emily hangs,” said Claire.

“Then no problem,” Hailey said.

“How often do members get picked at their first meeting?” Emily asked.

“It happens sometimes,” Jennifer said.

“With two first time members it is more likely,” Raquel said.

“That's true,” said Emily. “I guess we'll just have to take our chances.”

“How many meetings have all of you been to?” Emily asked.

 “My second,” said Raquel.

“My third,” said Joss.

“This is my ninth,” Hailey said.

“Wow,” said Emily. “That is amazing.”

“Cristel over there is the senior member,” Hailey said. “This is her tenth meeting.”

“So the two of you have been stacking the deck,” Emily said. “Need to keep an eye on you.”

“Nobody stacks the deck,” Jennifer said. “It's all just chance.”

 

“We’re all here now,” Jennifer said. “Let's get started.”

Cristel quickly grabbed the chair at the head of the table and the other women moved to find a seat.

As they stepped towards the table, Emily leaned over to Raquel and whispered, “Want to chat more after, if we’re still here...”

“Sure,” Raquel said. “If we’re not the noose dancer.”

 

Jennifer began passing out cards face down on the table and letting each woman turn her card over before moving on to the next woman. She started with Cristel who got a ten.

Raquel was next. Raquel felt her stomach tighten as she reached for the card. Her hand was shaking and Raquel hoped that didn't show. When the card flipped over it was some harmless face card.

 

Emily was next and seemed to just casually flip over a harmless card. Claire peaked at her card and looked relieved as she flipped it over.

Jennifer worked her way along the other side of the table Hailey, Joss and Christine all got harmless cards too.

Jennifer made a second trip around the table and then a third. By her forth card, Raquel felt less nervous as she flipped her card over even though she knew the odds of getting the joker were now higher. It was just a king when she flipped it over.

 

Jennifer gave harmless cards to Emily, Claire and Hailey, but when Joss turned over her fourth card it was the joker.

“Ohhhhh, shit,” Joss said.

Christine cheered.

“Had to be somebody,” Hailey said.

 

Joss stood up, turned and stared at the noose.

Jennifer and Christine went to get something.

“We made it,” Emily said to Raquel as they got up from the table.

“You knew it was going to happen eventually,” Hailey said to Joss.

“But this is only my third meeting,” Joss said.

“It's all luck,” Hailey said.

“Yeah,” Joss sighed.

 

Joss started to take off her clothes at the side of the gallows. Jennifer came back with the handcuffs. Christine brought the champagne bottle and started to pour the glasses for after the hanging.

“That was intense,” Emily said. “Do you always need to draw that many cards?”

“I don't know,” Raquel said. “Last time I only drew twice.”

 

Joss put the handcuffs on one hand then climbed up the stairs onto the gallows.

 

Joss leaned out to get the noose.

Joss slipped the noose over her head and positioned it around her neck.

Joss fastened the handcuffs behind her back.

 

Joss stood at the edge of the platform and looked at the women waiting for her dance.

Joss took a deep breath and leaped off the gallows platform.

“Wow,” Emily said.

 

Joss swung back, her legs crashing into the platform.

“Should’ve stepped off,” Emily said. “Not jumped.”

Joss twisted and struggled as her face turned red.

Joss's body began to relax. 

Joss's body became still, gently swinging on the noose. Then her legs twitched.

“What?” Raquel said. “Is she dead or not?”

“Twitching is normal,” Emily said. “Just random nerves firing as the body shuts down.”

“Wow,” Raquel said.

 

After about five minutes the twitching seemed to stop.

Jennifer and Christine got everyone a glass of champagne and the women gave Joss a toast.

“To Joss,” Jennifer said.

“May she rest in peace,” Raquel said.

 

“You seemed to know a lot about hanging,” Raquel said.

“Watched hanging poker on pay per view,” Emily said.

“So you've seen real hangings on TV,” Raquel said.

“More than that,” Emily said. “But let's go to a coffee shop and I can explain.”

“Ok,” Raquel said. “Do you know a good place.”

“There is a good one a couple of blocks from here,” Emily said. “We can walk.”

 

“Come on Claire,” Emily said. “We’re going to get coffee.”

Next Chapter: The Suicide Club - Coffee With Emily and Claire