The Highest Tier

He awoke from his dream with a small jolt. The room was completely dark, thanks to the latest automatic window shades that blocked out the sun’s noonday light and heat. Rolling over, he gently climbed over the two young beautiful ladies lying naked in his bed and padded to the bathroom. His reflection was the same: a perfectly squared jaw, dark hair that was thick at his temples with the latest hairstyle, clear and glowing complexion, muscle that rippled from the excrutiating training he put himself through, and an overall aura of mystery and arrogant confidence. He was perfect.

He looked up at the live feed camera pointed down at him, and he languidly stretched to show off his body in a way he knew the audience would enjoy. He finished up and returned to the bedroom where the two women were already awake, opening the window shades to the beautiful penthouse view. They purred their good mornings as they scavenged for their clothes to get dressed, winking and waving at the live feed cameras pointed directly at the massive bed. “That’s right,” he thought to himself, “Get your ten seconds of fame over with.”

With them out of the way, he ordered room service. All his favorite foods were prepared by the best chefs and finest ingredients, which he gorged himself with until his stomach began to protrude. Finished, he took the Ipecac pill handed to him and threw up the entire feast. It would be shameful if his body lost its perfect shape and size. He then went to the pristine gym where he met his personal trainers, one was the most popular super model to spot him and a celebrity instructor he hired just yesterday. But the routine isn’t really meant to train him as he usually would. He sneaked a wink at one of the dozens of live feed cameras as he flexed and lifted, showing off his frame and excellent physical health.

He began his day with the first of many outfits tailor made by the greatest desginers with fashions not even revealed to the public, yet. He attended as a guest celebrity to conferences and charity events. All of which were hand-picked by his agents to give the right influence to the right people. He then would spend the entire evening at multiple parties at the most expensive and popular venues. He even, as a joke, crashed a couple’s wedding where with the combination of the paparazzi and news coverage, made the previously unknown couple a hot item in the news for a solid week.

Coming home, he invited the two new women he met at... well, it didn’t really matter where he met them at. He treated them all the same, because they were all after the same thing. He excused himself from them as they began doing unseamly things together for his and the audience’s enjoyment, “I just need to make a phone call.” He went back downstairs, but instead of going to the sitting room, he turned towards the basement and placed his hand on the palm scanner. The vault-like door opened with a heavy swing, showing a steep metal staircase.

Walking down, he thought to himself, “I am the greatest of them all. I have everything. But I know the truth. I know what they’re doing.” He came to the bottom of the staircase where he could already hear the clanging and screaming behind the next door, “I see what the audience is not allowed to see.” Placing his hand on the heavy handle, he heaved open the door. Screaming and howling filled the air as dozens as dozens of cages lined against the walls were shaken and rocked with the unholy spawns within them.

A woman, once voluptuous, now crouched with her sagging skin clinging to her skeletal frame. A man, once having the most beautiful smile, gnawed at the metal bars with his toothless mouth. Skin once glowing and plump was chapped and bleeding. Hair once as smooth as silk was matted and torn. Nails that were adorned with jewels were cracked and split. All that once was the most perfect beauty was now a unsightly heap of maniacal flesh that was no longer even human.

The man crouched down and looked into the eyes of the most recent addition. A young man not two years older than him, but was already emaciated and had eaten his own tongue out of starvation. “I know the truth,” he told him, “I am the greatest that ever was. I am the pinnacle and the highest tier. But one day, there will be another. There always is. Then I will be down here with all of you.” The skeletal frame let out a guttural moan and began chewing on his fingers. The man continued, “Tell me... what would you do to make sure you could never be replaced?”