What is worse than an annoying little brother? A little brother with a sweet tooth. While maybe an unpopular opinion, it was exactly what Samuel Bucket wholeheartedly believed. Even more so considering how poor their family was. There they were, with barely enough money to eat, and yet Charlie still daydreamed about gobbling up chocolate and candy. Sam knew deep down he couldn't blame him. His brother was just a child. Nevertheless, some evenings, when Sam finished his job and took Charlie home after school, he frowned in disapproval. Charlie often stood still before the city's grand chocolate factory, seemingly forgetting about everything else.
"How can he be so obsessed with something he only tastes once a year?" Wondered the older boy as the young child filled his lungs with the scent surrounding the building. "And that's not even considering how awful it is for one's health. All you get eating sweets is cavities and obesity."
-Hey! You coming? Or will you spend all day trying to eat air? -The cry brought Charlie back to reality and when he was back besides him, there it was. That knowing smile. The smile that reminded Sam that Charlie could see right through his act.
It had happened a few years ago, but the kid still remembered how Samuel had sneaked into his room a few days after his birthday… Surely, he thought he had been so secretive, but a half-eaten candy bar and a chocolate-smeared face were really obvious evidence. He hadn't even gotten mad that day, but he still couldn't understand why Sam was so determined to deny sharing his love for chocolate.
Truth was, it wasn't just about sweets. In his determination to help his family, Samuel had been focusing almost exclusively on his work, not allowing himself pretty much anything enjoyable. No games, no hobbies, and no treats of any kind. He told himself to grow up fast and that way he could get his family out of their situation. The truth was, he was developing a serious fear of pleasure.
"I'm almost nineteen" He thought as he arrived home and ran to his room. "I have no time for any distractions. I gave in once, but it won't happen again. Tomorrow I'll find another road to take Charlie home. It will be better for both of us to not go near that factory again… I don't want him getting fascinated with unreachable things. And I can't get distracted. Yes… We will stay away…
Sam went to sleep that night with said resolution as firm on his mind as the walls of a castle…walls that toppled over and turned to rubble because of a golden ticket and a pair of joyful, pleading eyes.