The get together

I actually wrote this for last week's Two Shoes Tuesday prompt Invitation but  somehow  forgot to post it! Waste not want not, so I'm doing it retrospectively! 

Many years ago he attended a school reunion. In the few years since finishing their education he and his old friends had all changed beyond belief. They no longer had anything in common, so that was the last time he saw most of them.

A few days ago he received an invitation. The pleasure of his company was requested at a get-together of members of the town’s youth club to which he had belonged in the nineteen twenties. He thought it odd as most of the members would be gone by now. Either moved away or passed on to the next life.

On the appointed afternoon he put on his best suit, a crisp white shirt and his old school tie. He set off down the road, invitation in hand to the village hall.

When he arrived it seemed to be deserted. He pushed the door and it creaked open. After cautiously stepping inside he saw through the gloom the figures of ten or so people scattered around, standing motionless, each alone. There was chill in the air.

One by one ten heads turned to face him. Ten gaunt expressionless faces stared at him.

He began to recognise them. But surely they had all passed away years ago. He had read about the funerals of most of them. Hadn’t he?

As one they stretched out their arms out toward him. He shivered. Deciding not to stay he turned and headed for the door, but it was no longer there. Nothing was there. No walls, no ceiling, nothing.

A swirling mist descended as they slowly formed a circle around him.Their fingers beckoned as they closed in. Closer and closer and closer they came. And then they were gone. They were all gone.

He was never seen again.