GRE Words and Short Story #7
- attenuate-(v)-to reduce in force or degree; to weaken.
- convoluted-(adj)-intricate and complicated
- dirge-(n)-a funeral hymn or mournful speech
- enervate-(v)-to reduce in strength
- exigent-(adj)-urgent; requiring immediate action
- impervious-(adj)-impossible to penetrate; incapable of being affected
- laconic-(adj)-using few words
- mollify-(adj)-to calm or make less severe
- paragon-(n)-model of excellence or perfection
- prodigal-(adj)-lavish, wasteful
- stolid-(adj)-unemotional; lacking sensitivity
- waver-(v)-to fluctuate between choices.
Story
The bottle stood there, quiescent, luring me to it. I couldn't remember the last day I didn't wake up without the urge of trying its contents. Now, not even a glass full of the elixir could
attenuate my cravings for it. And now, it came to the point when, at the first signs of consciousness in the morning, the feeling would be
exigent beyond belief.
Now, at nine am, I laughed a sad laugh. It wouldn't be long when my sister, my next of kin, would be standing before a small crowd reciting a brief
dirge for her
prodigal brother. She would then give a
laconic speech, and then the onerous funeral would be over for her. There would be no sobs or tears, everyone would remain there
stolid...bastards.
Perhaps it was only that, death, that could
mollify permanently this destructive dependence on the
oh-so-beautiful,
amber rum.
How had it come to this! I pondered about it, but despite the greatest efforts to search for the root-cause, I could not reach out to the
impervious part of my brain that contained the answer. Even if I did, I thought, chances were that, far from being a pedestrian answer, the truth would be too
convoluted for me to grasp the lessons to be learned from it.
Well, no need to ponder about what couldn't be changed; there was nothing to stop the inevitable reality that made me the antithesis to the
paragon that was my successful, educated sister.
It was time to drink, and to stop the nonsense!
I poured myself half the bottle's contents in an oversized 7-11, Big Gulp cup. I proceeded immediately to take a massive gulp, the action automatically
enervating the aforementioned desires.
I went for a second round, but suddenly began to waver.
Was there really no cure for me? Could I not fight the urge? The same urge I had created? Couldn't I reach to the depths of what was still pristine and noble in me to help me fight this venomous tendency?
....
No, a whisper came and absconded instantly.
Cheers to that! I yelled to no one in particular, and furiously consumed the remnants of the bottle's alcoholic treasures.
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