crapulous
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Ben carried the tray through the brightly lit hall. He had been going over the events of the last few hours in his head, and still had not come to a satisfactory conclusion as to why he was here. Oh he knew where he was. He was in the Tower of Plenty, a place everyone dreamed of reaching. The outside was a hellscape of famine and loss, but in the Tower, there was everyone one could ever want.
But only a select few could ever get into the Tower. Nobody knew why someone was chosen, but every so often a person was brought there. Ben did not know what he had done to deserve to get in, but here he was. When he had entered, the only thing he had been told was to eat and enjoy life. His tray was laden with more food than he had ever seen at once, and he was walking passed people who were eating heartily.
He sat down next to a man who was busy eating. The man was an older fellow, maybe in his middle years, and had apparently spent a great many of the in the Tower. Ben glanced at his new table companion, who seemed oddly transfixed by his meal. There was something off about the man though. Something that Ben could not quite place.
“Hey.” Ben said quietly. “I’m Ben, nice to meet you.”
The large man huffed, paused just long enough to swallow, then resumed eating. Ben stomached the rudeness. Maybe just talking to people out of the blue like that was considered rude here? Well, he had no way of knowing, so he decided to continue.
“It’s my first day here. Haven’t even touched anything yet, but man it all looks good. Got any advise for a newbie?” Still no answer. “Right, well, you’re clearly enjoying your meal, so I’ll let you get back to it.”
Ben picked up a piece of bread and raised it to his mouth. Something bumped into him. The large man’s elbow had come out as he gnawed on a bone. The limb returned to the table, and Ben shrugged. He went to take a bit of his food, when the man’s elbow hit him again.
Ben turned to look at the man sharply. “Hey, now, watch the elbow.”
The man’s eyes swiveled to look at Ben for a brief moment. In that short time, Ben saw something. His eyes were red and swollen. Tear tracks ran down his hefty face, easily seen due to the amount of residue clinging to his mottled skin.
Ben raised the bread to his mouth while watching his neighbor. As soon as he did, the man took notice and shoved his elbow out, interrupting the younger man’s meal. The older man’s eyes darted around the room. Ben looked and saw things he had not seen before. The many people in the Tower were eating like their lives depended on it. But there was something else. They looked afraid, or sad, or even in pain. Nobody looked happy to be there.
His neighbor fiddled with his plate and fork for a moment as the food ran out. He moved the used dish aside and stood. His large body lumbered away, towards the head table where food was piled high. Ben looked at the leftovers. There was a message there.
Dont eat. If you do youll never stop. Get out.
A person across from him, a large woman, shoved a mostly empty plate towards him. Like before, there was a short message there.
Too late for us olders. Get the youngers out. Please.
Ben stood, leaving his plate untouched. He was hungry, of course, but there was something going on in the Tower. Something he needed to do before he could have his meal. He just had to figure out what that something was.
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Remember, too much of a good thing is just as bad as not enough. Moderation is key in a great many things.
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