Gluttony

        “Gluttony is the source of all our infirmities and the fountain of all our diseases. As fire extinguished by an excess of fuel, so is the natural health of the body destroyed by an intemperate diet.”    ~Burton~





    It was dark and cold. The only thing she could see was a house at the end of the empty road. Nothing else. But what a house! Not even in her best nightmares she didn’t imagine such things. Old and colorless, it looked so damaged and yet, so powerful. Like in every second a creepy sound could come out or a window could open. It had windows, but they were so small that the girl could notice them after she went forward a few steps. And all of them were closed. The only thing opened was the big old wooden door. She wanted to go in. But like any other she hesitated. What if something bad is in there? What if she goes in and she will never be able to come back? But the curiosity was too big. As she climbed slowly the gray stairs to enter, a powerful wind began making her shiver.



    “How beautiful you are!” an appealing voice told.

Scared, the girl turned and the only thing she could do was gasp. The man in front of her was so beautiful that she could not take the eyes of him. He was tall, with dark hair and such blue eyes that she could drown in them. His lips were so perfect lined and red. She felt her heart jumping from her chest. His skin was pale and in contrast with his black coat he looked like an angel fallen from Heaven.

  “So beautiful! You could be my queen. My universe. Together we could be powerful and from our love only happiness could come. Like a rose..” he whispered as he climbed the stairs to reach her. She didn’t back up. Instead she let him take her hand. His touch was cold. His voice was so seductive. “..you’re like a rose. Beautiful, full of life and power but so fragile. Let me be your gardener. Let me take care of you. I would put you on a pedestal and worship you. Be my queen and I would be your king.”



The girl was so amazed that she was able to speak only after a few seconds. “I.. I don’t know.. I don’t trust you.. I can’t” She heard him chuckle. She was afraid to look at him. Afraid that he would disappear.



  “But I haven’t told you all. Please look at me and listen every word I say” she obeyed and looked in his eyes.

  “My rose, I would be yours entirely. And you would be mine as well. We would be together forever. We would never age. Always beautiful, always young, always the flower that never dies. Immortal. I would give you this gift. Imagine how that life could be. No worries, no problems. Just love and happiness. Give up to your family and friends and come with me.”



  “My family. I can’t leave them. They are the only thing I have and I love them as they love me. They would be broken, I would be broken.”

“You would have me instead and eternal youth and beauty. Do you think that anyone of them if they had this chance would think at you first? Enjoy your life. It’s time to let go. Time to let others taking care of your family”



The girl was so confused. She wanted to go with that beautiful man. She wanted to be young forever. But still, she felt bound to her family. Like an invisible rope was around her and she couldn’t escape. A part of her didn’t want to. She looked in to his blue ocean eyes. And the only thing she could see was truth. Loyalty and love. How can this angel love her? How could she refuse such an opportunity?

  “Come with me” he said taking her hand, seeing the doubt on her face. “let me show you my kingdom”

He then opened the door entirely and gestured to the girl to go in. This old house could be his kingdom? Where was the beauty and happiness there? She hesitated.

“Don’t be afraid of how it looks outside. The inside always matters. And you are with me. Nothing can hurt you”

  Strange how in that moment she felt so protected, so loved, not afraid. She entered the house, feeling him behind her. How could she not trust this man? The house was like a fairytale. Full of bright colors and flowers. As she walked forward she entered a big saloon. The music was everywhere. The room was full of people, some guests, some dancers. They all were singing and dancing and eating and having fun. In the middle of the saloon a big long table was full of all kinds of food arranged in such way that she could just stare. All was so mouth-watering. In that moment her family was forgotten. How could she refuse such pleasures, such delights? She could have what all the people dreamt about. She could have all, for real.

    “Yes! I accept all. I want to be your queen, your rose. I want to be everything for you as you would be everything for me. Take me and make me immortal so we can live forever in happiness.”

“ My love, are you sure? That’s your decision?” he said smiling.

“Yes. More than ever I want this. Be with you in here for eternity”



    And they stared in each others eyes, she full of desire, he content of her choice. Suddenly, he started laughing. It wasn’t what she expecting, certainly not like that. A creepy laugh, scary and so victorious.



  “You humans, you could never be happy with what you have. You always want more, and more. You want all. And each time you get this. you will always get this..” he said as he gestured to the room.

  The girl looked after his hand and screamed in horror. The bright colors, the beautiful people, the mouth-watering food, the delightful music.. all were gone. All. Instead, everything was dark, as it was outside. The walls were a dark grey, damaged and in corners the ones who used to be people, dancers were all a pack of frightening dolls with parts missing. the table was old and full of dust and it looked like at only one touch could break. As she looked closely she noticed a cake in the middle of the table. A small, pink cake with a candle in it. As she observed all this, the dark laugh didn’t stop. The room became darker and darker and the laugh powerful. She started crying and screaming and begging the man to let her go. To set her free. But her prays weren’t listened. Hear screams weren’t heard. She lost everything.  Her family, her friends. She was doomed to live in dark and the only thing she got was a pink cake. She went slowly to the table, still whining. Her face, her body was cold. Empty. The girl looked at the man laughing, not finding him beautiful anymore. She was disgusted. With that place, but mostly with herself. She took the cake in her hands, looked at it for a few seconds then blew the candle. The room went dark and all that could be heard was an echo. The echo of the men laughing…