8:00 PM - Showtime!
The large doors leading into the Great Hall are both simultaneously pulled open by two waiters dressed in white tuxes, revealing an even larger and absolutely exquisite
ballroom that looked as if it spanned three quarters of the East Wing. A full band is already swinging to a spritely jazz tune, a soundtrack for their patrons as they all spill into the room from the Entrance Hall. Everyone, with their ridiculously expensive attire and their alcohol-induced laughter, struts inside, some scurrying to claim seats and tables while others wander onto the dance floor to tap away with the music.
Stretching along the left side of the room is a long line of tables, on top of which lay platters upon platters of food still covered with silver domes to keep them fresh until served. Along the opposite side is the bar, fully equipped and already buzzing with enthusiastic customers.
Before you can decide where to direct your attention or your feet, a waiter or waitress finds you in the throng of incoming guests and bows slightly in greeting. "Excuse me, mam/sir, but your presence has been requested near the stage. You're to be introduced to everyone," they explain, and with an amused sort of expression, they place a hand at the small of your back and steer you through the crowd until you have reached the side of the stage. There, you find that the Woll family - excluding Liam, who is already on the stage - waiting for you, accompanied by Ingrid, who is sporting a bluetooth earphone in one ear and a small clipboard in the diagonal hand.
David, clad in a black suit and skinny tie, throws his arms up in excitement and approaches you all with that wide smile of his. He moves toward Henry, who is the nearest, and claps him amiably on the shoulder. "Hello, hello! Wow, you guys look just incredible. What a difference from this afternoon, eh?" He laughs to indicate his joke, then gestures to the stage. "We're just going to do a bit of an introduction to get the party started, yeah? I hope you all don't mind. After all, this is your party; it'd be a shame if no one knew who our guests of honor were."
As if on cue, the band crescendos to the end of their song as the two doors through which you entered swing shut as the last of the crowd enters the ballroom. David looks back at you all, waggles his eyebrows in gaudy encouragement, before he offers his arm to his sister. Nathalie accepts it, hooking her arm around her brother's, and follows him up the small staircase to the stage. Ingrid motions for you all to follow them.
The band behind you is now silent, although the mass of people before you is not, and so as David is handed the cordless microphone, he booms out a loud "Hello, everyone!" to make them shut up. The lights above are bright as they illuminate you all standing to David's left while his family stood to his right. Once the chatter slowly begins to die down to a bearable level, he continues.
"Yes, yes, welcome everyone! Oh, we are so incredibly happy to see that all of your shining faces have decided to come out to celebrate this evening with us. As you all know, it is that time of year, once again. The time when the Woll family opens our doors - and our wallets - to a select few persons, who will be getting to know Sweden from our little corner of the land. And tonight, we hold this ball to welcome our newest visitors, and wish them the most fabulous time in our Motherland!" David takes a step back and sweeps his arm as if showcasing you all while the Hall erupts into applause and cheering. Above all the noise, David motions to each of you in turn and shouts your name into the microphone. "That's right, exactly right! If you see any of these faces in the crowd tonight, be sure to thank them for providing you with free booze." The crowd laughs appreciatively at the quip.
"Alright, let's not put it off any longer, yeah? The dance floor and bar is now open! I want to see each of you there tonight!" And with that, the lights from the multiple chandeliers above dim to allow the multicolored party ones to flit and spin around the room. David shoos you all off stage so that you can rejoin the festivities.
Sorry, man, you've been drugged.
Having downed that glass of wine while you were in Nathalie's company, you've assured that the drug had entered your body quicker. As you enter through the doors of the Great Hall and your waiter comes to greet you, it suddenly hits you, and you feel as if you've just downed an impressive amount of tequila shots. Impossible, you think, as you know you've only had one glass of shitty wine. But you feel drunk as a button, and oddly enough, you didn't care who knew it!
P.S. Before Nathalie follows her brother up onto the stage, you could swear that she glanced over her shoulder and gave you that same knowing wink she'd flashed you before she disappeared back into the Manor earlier. Yeah, she totally wants it.
You're not drugged, either. Good on you.
Having not mentioned the ordering of a beverage, either, you've been spared. Hooray!
Yeah girl, you've been drugged, as well.
Having only ordered a tall glass of water, but not specifying whether you drank it or not, we'll take the fun road and assume that you did drink from it. As the waiter leads you through the crowd to the side of the stage, you feel it coming up your throat. Before you know it, you're laughing hysterically, as if you've been exposed to some sort of maximum strength laughing gas! Everything, every little detail is ten times funnier for absolutely no reason.
P.S. Before you can take a step to follow the rest of your group onto the stage, Ingrid places a hand on your forearm to stop you. Her expression is concerned as she gives your figure an up-down through her glasses before her gaze finally settles on your face. In a hurried, but somewhat tense, whisper, she says, "You didn't bring it?" But before you can respond or register what she means, she nudges you up the stairs so that you rejoin everyone.
Lucky for you, you were not drugged.
As you didn't mention anything about ordering a beverage, you were saved the humiliation. Cheers!
Oh boy, you were drugged.
You sipped those drugs all down while you were enjoying that cigarette. Fortunately for you, sipping slowed down the effects of the substance, and you only begin to feel it while standing on stage, being introduced. It creeps up inside you, and slowly you begin to feel your limbs getting heavier and heavier, as if you're completely submerged in a pool of thick jello. You aren't feeling sleepy, though; in fact, you feel quite content, content enough to go along with whatever anyone says. That might be a problem.
Concept,
Troubleshoot
