bigbutadorable(.)bl0gsp0t(.)c0m

Benjamin slams the door shut without saying a word. He hears grumbling outside, but the landlord, satisfied with his money, soon disappears. Benjamin sinks down on the small couch, breathing heavily in despair.

He is already depressed, and now he has no energy. His stomach rumbles.

Benjamin walks dejectedly to the kitchen, but there is nothing to eat. He hasn't been shopping lately because he used to bring leftovers from the hotel.

He doesn't have the energy to go out. Besides, it is not wise to walk around Ground Zero at night. You might get kidnapped, especially if you're not in good shape. With his weak condition now, Benjamin will probably get beaten up by some thugs and have his money taken away. And if he is unlucky, he might be raped or subjected to human experimentation.

So Benjamin gives up eating, hangs up his sheets and sits in the dark living room, fidgeting nervously with his shirt. He fiddles with the collar of his shirt, feeling unnecessarily cold in the normally cool house.

Then there is another knock at the door.

"Hello, you have a delivery!"

Benjamin looks up, startled by the unfamiliar voice outside. Since he has never ordered a delivery before, the miserable man just stays still.

"Hello, is anyone there?"

The delivery man knocks again.

Benjamin still does not move. He just listens carefully: first a soft murmur, then the dull sound of a package being set down, followed a few moments later by footsteps moving away.

Benjamin tenses. When he is sure that there is no more noise outside, he carefully opens the door. He looks left and right and sees a large bouquet of flowers and a picnic basket on his doorstep.

Inside the bouquet is a beautiful card. Benjamin opens it and sees his name written in elegant handwriting, which means the delivery man did not misplace it. And there are flowers, too. Benjamin sighs in disbelief.

Fresh flowers are so rare that even in hotels they only decorate the halls and lobbies. They are occasionally seen in Old Town, though in very poor condition, but here they are, right in front of him, beautifully wrapped and fresh as a picture.

Baskets are also a rarity in the slums. It has a lid and is usually used for window displays, something you'd only find in high street shops. Benjamin opens it carefully, his mouth hanging open in surprise.

Inside are a smaller basket covered in cloth and two insulated bowls. One bowl is filled with fresh salads, fruits, and other foods that need to be kept cold, while the other is filled with warm, creamy stews and roasted meats and vegetables.

Benjamin pulls the cloth over the top of the basket and finds it filled with warm bread. There are also assorted jams and butters in small glass jars, and fresh juice and milk in a thermos.

Benjamin sets the food on the table with a bored look on his face and sinks into a chair.

He covers his face with both hands, his body shivering. Only after a while that he finally lets out a sigh and puts his hands back down. 

Benjamin knows who sent it, but he can't bring himself to throw it away. Because he doesn't know if he'll ever have the chance to eat something like this again in his life, and he's starving. So Benjamin picks up the bread in front of him, tears it roughly, and shoves it into his mouth.

Surprisingly, it tastes much better than the leftovers from the hotel. And without realizing it, Benjamin picks up the utensils in the basket and begins to stuff each piece of food into his mouth. Everything is fresh and warm from the oven. Especially the stew, one of the best he has ever tasted.

The beautiful man doesn't know how long it's been since he's had freshly cooked meat. It's so good that Benjamin shovels it into his mouth. Only when he finally gets a little full does he stop and put the cutlery down.

Yes, it was indeed a wise decision not to get rid of the basket. Benjamin has lost his job once again and he has to save money and food. Besides, he doesn't have a refrigerator, so he can only save the bread and eat the rest at once, or it will go bad and be wasted.

Benjamin needs to get better so he can run away and find a new job. But just thinking about it makes him depressed, wondering if he will have to leave this place where he has finally settled down.






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