The Beast’s Feast
“The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin” — Proverbs
“He who winks maliciously causes grief, and a chattering fool comes to ruin” — Proverbs
The principal’s mansion was typically palatial. Heavily gilded stairways led to landings with paintings that added multiple shades of grandeur. Ornate ceilings told stories of forgotten historical events. Each piece of furniture was hand-carved intricately and extensively. It was, in one word, ostentatious.
Four guests were standing at the cocktail table, champagne flutes in hand.
“Look at this place. Look at how beautiful it is. I so wish I lived in a place like this. Oh the principal must be loving this place. I wonder what he loves to do most when he’s here”, said D.
“…I wonder if this is what majestic means…” thought A.
“…must have cost a fortune..” thought C.
The principal strode out on to the landing, “I welcome you all to the Willows mansion. I hope you enjoy the evening. Tonight, my house is your house and my wine is your wine. Enjoy the willow trees and the ocean’s warm breeze in our back lawn. Listen to the waves as they thrash against rocks at the bottom of the cliff beyond the lawn. I’ve always found that somewhat soothing”. He smiled. “The buffet is open. There’s food from all corners of the earth. Take anything, take everything. There’s chocolates and there’s gold lying around. Take of either as much as you like, and go wherever you want. But please stay out of Room 9.”
“Wonderful! I don’t know where to start. Who should I talk to, where should I go first. Where’s the door to the back lawn. The cliff sounds amazing!” thought D.
“I wonder what’s in Room 9?” thought C.
After a few drinks, C said, “Well it’s not the best soiree.” “Why not?” asked A. “The food’s amazing. The palace is exquisite and the host has opened out his whole place for us, what more would you want?”. “Of course. I agree. I am not saying that I’m not grateful. I certainly am. But if I were to be very honest, he did not open the whole place did he? He left Room 9 out.” Both A and D nodded. They stood silent for a few minutes, all three of them wondering what was in Room 9.
Some time later…
D opened the door. “I don’t think we should be here”, whispered A. “Neither do I, but I am with you D” quipped C. The entrance was dark, a stairway led down to a dimly lit cellar. They tiptoed down the stairs and looked in.
It was a sight to behold. There were gold bars everywhere, some stacked neatly to the roof. Others in messy piles. In the way they were strewn around it was highly unlikely that anyone had an account of this mass of gold. They were shimmering so bright, it was like the bars themselves were moving.
“We hit jackpot guys!” cried D. “Everything here is up for grabs right”.
“I don’t know. We were told not to go to Room 9” said A
“But who would know,” said C, winking. “It’s clear that no one has an account of all this gold”.
A thought, they were right. The temptation was strong. But the rule was not to go into Room 9. Something about this seemed not right. Besides, what would this gold achieve? He had not earned it. He was going to take it from someone. True, that someone might not miss anything, but this is not the way he would want to get it in the first place…. “Guys, I’m out.”
“C’mon, don’t be a let-down” frowned C. “We all opened the door together. You are already in this. And besides, the principal did say that his home was our home and to take as much as you like. What’s the big deal in taking a bar or two?”
“I decide my fate C, and I decide when I do what I do. Not anyone else. I did enter the room with you. But I am out now.” he strode off. As he walked out, he heard C’s voice, “What a loser, D, get some of that stuff”. “Of course, I will. Let me get some for you too C…”, replied D.
A woke up, in his bed. It was a weird evening, almost like a dream. He remembered the men and women who were naked except for their masks. And the chanting. And the bears in the cage. But he also was aware how normal he thought those things were at the time. Man, was he drugged or what. He was so glad that he left when he did, just after the first round of drinks. Anymore and he was sure something bad would have happened. He vaguely remembered a dark entrance…and a dimly lit cellar.
He made his breakfast, same way as he always did, sat at his coffee table and unfolded the newspaper. He skipped the stories in “Medicine” section which included a headline “The party invents a hallucinogenic plant-based potion that makes spiders look like gold bars”, and started to read the “Genetics” section highlight story which detailed how researchers had leveraged genetic-engineering to invent a new species of tarantula with venom that causes the slowest and most extremely painful gangrene build-up, to date.
A — wise in heart
C — malicious winker
D — chattering fool
