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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/2019709-Seven-Sins--Gluttony
Rated: 13+ · Short Story · Horror/Scary · #2019709
The first of my Seven Sins series -- The tale of a man who eats too much.
Seven Sins: Gluttony (Draft One)
(Updated 11/25/14 @ 1:44PM)


Harris Cooper was an obese fellow. A man in his late 30s who loved to eat. He had such an appetite that could never be satiated by a simple human being. Harris has tried it all, from pies to sushi to burritos to orange chicken. He was a man who would be hooked onto one taste and latch onto that for months before he finally decided he was bored and needed something more.

Steak. That was Harris’s last fixation. Living in Odessa, Texas, Harris was surrounded by diners and cafes providing the best of the best in terms of juicy, delectable steaks. The longhorn, particularly, was Harris’s favorite. He savored the toughness of the meat with its brown core. As time passed, however, Harris became more and more partial to the bloody red center that accompanied the raw flavor of freshly cut and barely cooked meat. The taste drove him insane as it became the new on his list of meals to conquer.

But unfortunately, like all others before it, the bloody steak just wasn’t enough to sate dear Harris. He was tired of the meal and soon, every attempt at eating it just caused his stomach to become upset until he was in the bathroom puking his brains out. It was sad to see Harris like this, but there was nothing he could do. With his “special” appetite, if he could not find something new to leech soon, his life would cease to exist in his mind.

Everything changed, however, the day Sandy came into town. Sandy Summers was a beautiful young lass who worked at the Blue Horn diner a few miles off 35. She was a simple waitress with beautiful green eyes and short blonde curls. Extremely gorgeous and perhaps the nicest person that side of the Mississippi, Sandy met Harris one day when he came to the diner in search of a new meal to devour. Harris explained his situation to Sandy, in which she seemed to understand all too well. Sandy went to the back of the diner after telling Harris she would whip up something special just for him. Harris was overcome with glee as such a beautiful creature as herself would speak to a "slob" like him, not just as a waitress but as a friend. For weeks, Sandy and Harris worked at trying to fixate his unusual appetite. These experiments created a sort of mutual romantic connection between the two, one that Harris wouldn't have dreamed could have existed in a million years. Time and time again, however, Sandy would return to the booth with a unique dish, and every time Harris would just gag and spit the food back up. Upset, Sandy finally was ready to call it quits until suddenly an idea popped in her mind. She invited Harris to her house that evening for dinner and told him that she would resolve all his problems.

Dressing up in his best attire to appeal to the stunning Sandy Summers, Harris appeared at the doorstep of her little house in the woods. He was confused as to why the house so far away from the diner, considering these are the only visible woods for miles. Living in Texas, the desert is plenty and woods are scarce. Harris made his way up to the front door and rang the doorbell, to which a happy Sandy opened and ushered him in.

Harris took note of the house, noticing how simple and adorable it was. With the dark brown and yellow interior, Harris was reminded of a chocolate donut, a meal he conquered at quite a young age. The fireplace was lit and the angelic voice of Frank Sinatra was heard bouncing off the walls. While taking note of his surroundings, Harris noticed that a most delicious smell was emanating the air. It hung there and reached out with its claws, dragging him to the kitchen to where Sandy had the most amazing surprise set up.

On the table lay five silver platters, each covered by a silver lid. The labels on the platters read “RB”, “RE”, “PT”, “LC” and “BC”. Using the context clues and inhaling the scent that bore from the platters, Harris brought himself to guess what the initials meant. “Roast Beef”. “Rib-Eye”. “Pork Tenderloin”. “Lamb Chop”. “Baked Chicken”. When he relayed his hypothesis to Sandy, she just smiled, nodded and handed him a plate. Harris took no time grabbing a butcher knife and cutting into the pounds, ready to taste the savory meat melt in his mouth. Slicing. Chopping. Shredding. Piece after piece ended up on Harris’s plate, and without a moments’ hesitation he was devouring the full course meal. Sandy couldn't help but hide her excitement as she noticed Harris wasn’t gagging at all. He was enjoying the food so much that he felt as if he had already died and went to Heaven, where his unfortunate condition no longer existed. Bloated and satisfied, Harris grabbed a glass of wine and washed down his meal. Carrying newfound confidence after their "romantic evening", Harris picked Sandy up and to her surprise, took her to her bedroom where they made passionate lovemaking to finish the night.

The next morning, Harris was at the diner, flashing his newly discovered grin. After last night’s dinner, he didn’t believe he would ever get tired of Sandy and her cooking. He could finally start a life with a beautiful girl and never have to suffer from his affliction again. Sandy made her way to the booth that Harris was at, providing him with a cup of coffee, a slice of new beef she created labeled “SB” (Seasoned Beef is what Harris concluded) and the morning paper. She kissed him on his forehead and made her way back behind the counter. Still keeping that same grin, Harris read over the paper at all the local stories. However, there was one story in particular that caught his attention over the others. It wasn’t until he read the caption under the header that he froze in terror, his coffee cup barely hanging from his fingertips.





“-Decapitation in Odessa!-


Local authorities have found the decapitated heads of Odessa residents located in the desert off 35 near the old abandoned pipe factory. Pictured above (blurred for the safety of the deceased) are residents Royce Brown, Riley Evans, Peter Tran, Luke Carrey and Bryce Chandler. Authorities are still in search of the missing bodies. Read the full article on Page 7.”



Harris stared at his meal, shocked, before altering his gaze towards the kitchen to his beloved Sandy, flashing that one-in-a-million smile. Terror and infatuation fogged his eyes as he watched her happily serving the customers of the diner. Innocent, beautiful Sandy. Murderous, treacherous Sandy. The love of his life -- Sandy Summers. Harris couldn't help but force a smile as his fork scraped the plate, retrieving another piece of meat and slipping it into his mouth. He continued eating his meal in silence as the sound of Sinatra was hanging in the air. “I said that's life (that's life), and as funny as it may seem. Some people get their kicks stompin' on a dream. But I don't let it, let it get me down' cause this fine old world, it keeps spinnin' around…”
© Copyright 2014 Luka Vaughn (iihawaii at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.
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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/2019709-Seven-Sins--Gluttony