The tables are set to bursting with dishes of hearty, rich food. Steam rises from the platters, spiraling into the air to be buffeted by the cold air rushing in from the open windows. Sauces seem to glisten in the light provided by the torches mounted on the walls of the hall. Meats are ready to fall from the bone as they sit in among beds of root vegetables roasted to perfection. The polished silver dishes gleam beneath the feast. Goblets’ jewels twinkle and tankards have a stout assuredness as they sit upon the long tables. Silverware tinkles as the guests begin to shovel food from their plates to their mouths, as rabid dogs do a good meal. The people in the room acted as if they had not eaten in several days, when in actuality most had had a meal that very morning.
Outside two boys peer through a window. Their little fingers grasp the window sill while below them are three more boys, two of whom are supporting the ones spying on the feast. They are hungry, truly hungry. Having not eaten since two days before, the boys are becoming desperate. Not able to hang on any longer, the two gazing through the open window whisper for the others to move out of the way. They drop to the ground. All five scramble into the bushes that surround the hall. Creeping through the foliage until they have followed the wall to another part of the massive dwelling, the boys stay low and remain as quiet as they can. No longer able to hear the roar of the feast, the five decide it is safe. They walk away from the stone walls and coverage of bushes into the grassy lands surrounding the castle.
Inside the hall the guests roar with laughter as a fool in brought in to entertain. Outside the boys continue to walk in the cold, dark of night hoping for a meal.
The two worlds could not be more different. Inside the walls is a life of plenty. Outside in a life of hunger. And yet all that separates the two is a pane of glass thrown open to the night.
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