Over the past few days Angela got even sicker. Unfortunately, Alexandria did as well. Joseph had tried his best to get the medication she needed. He tried talking to old medical friends but they wanted no part in any illegal activity. He had an idea about robbing a pharmacy, but that soon was thrown away because when he felt ready he saw a sick kid getting his meds with his parents so he felt immediate guilt. His last resort was to get a hookup from one of his main sources, and it looked like it might come into fruition.
“Why haven’t you done the same for Alexandria?” Jack asked.
“Because I know how to treat Alexandria’s symptoms,” Joseph explained.
Jack had been taking care of Angela ever since she fell sick and he was also helping Alexandria too. Even though she refused to help, she was always by Jack’s side, making sure he didn’t worry too much. Angela had barely spoken either. She rarely talked now, so everyone presumed she must have something much worse than a regular cold.
Joseph returned to bring some minor good news. “My guy said he might have the medication tomorrow, but he’s not too sure. But that doesn’t mean luck has left our side yet.”
“Thanks Joseph, I owe you one,” Jack said, then continued to warm Angela with the makeshift lamp he’d made. “The good thing is she’s eating and drinking. That’s all that matters for now.”
Alexandria sat beside Jack. “But you still need to eat as well, Jack. Ever since you woke up from being unconscious, you’ve been malnourished.” She poked his bony cheek. “That worries me. You gotta eat mister!”
Jack chuckled and laughed. “At least you look adorable.”
Alexandria blushed and poked his cheek even harder. “Thanks for the compliment.”
“Well, you should worry about yourself too, you know? You’ve been vomiting and complaining about headaches ever since you stopped using heroin.”
“I’ll be fine, Jack. Don’t worry about me so much.”
Jack shook his head, got up and grabbed his bag. “We should head out to scavenge for more supplies.”
Joseph agreed by nodding. Alexandria wanted to go with Jack too, but she was still fine with taking care of Angela. Someone needed to while the guys were away.
Both males said goodbye and left.
Alexandria watched over Angela and made sure she wasn’t too close to her. “I wonder what you’re thinking about Angela? I would stay beside you, but I know you would hate that since you dislike me.”
She removed the wet cloth that was placed on the little girl’s forehead and replaced it with a new one. She dug inside her bag and took out a book.
“Well Angela, I’ll be reading…Uhhh, just make some noises if you need anything!”
She started reading but stopped for a moment, remembering how she’d packed a candy bar in her bag. Reaching inside again, Alexandria noticed something off. She looked inside and spotted bags of heroin. She’d forgotten that she had some still stowed away.
Breathing heavily, Alexandria looked directly at them, like some dog drooling over the sight of meat. She shook her head and slapped herself, remembering the promise she’d made to Jack. She’d been clean for a couple of days and insisted on continuing. Then she looked at them again and all of a sudden, there was a soothing, relaxing innocent girly voice speaking in her head.
The voice giggled and moaned with amusement. “You know you want it. It’s irresistible, isn’t it?” The voice laughed. “Come on. Go for it. No one’s here to watch, is there?”
Alexandria’s pupils dilated. “Do I want it?” she asked herself as drool started to drift out the corner of her lip.
“You want it. You need it. Because there’s nothing more important than your hit, right?” The voice giggled.
“Nothing’s more important than my hit. It’s my only scapegoat.” Alexandria smiled brokenly and took a bag out. “It’s my desire and my life.”
She unwrapped it, placed the substance on a spoon, then took out her lighter and began cooking it. She finished and inserted a syringe into it, sucking it dry.
“Good, good. That’s it, consume your sins, because you’re nothing more than just an addict.”
Her eyes were empty, her mouth opened. The itchy feeling of temptation started to overtake her. “I’m nothing more than an addict. I’m worthless and a waste of life. Drugs… are everything to me.”
Alexandria started shaking with unusual excitement.
“That’s it! That way, you can rid yourself from this life and free yourself from all this suffering.” The voice continued giggling again.
Alexandria’s anxiety for use built up more and more until she realized her own stupidity and quickly snapped out of it.
“What am I doing?” She looked at the syringe and threw it on the ground. “I’d betray Jack if I did this! What was I thinking?!”
She took out all the bags and threw them into the fire. Gripping her hair in frustration, she dropped to her knees and watched the flames burn away her righteous demons. “I’m such a fool! How could I be almost overcome by my addiction. You idiot!” she shouted at herself.
The voice inside her head got angry. “Why couldn’t you just be overcome by your desire and just die! You damned waste of life!”
Alexandria was startled and goosebumps rose all over her arms. “Who’s there? Who said that?” She looked all over the shack but saw nothing. She sat down and gripped her hair again, then rocked back and forth. “Am-Am I going crazy? Is it because I haven’t been using any drugs? Wait, I should calm down. Don’t be consumed by the voices in your head. Don’t be consumed by the voices!”
As she finally calmed down, Alexandria looked up and saw a girl standing in front of her. The little girl’s hair was long and covered her face. She was pale and wore a gothic white dress. Alexandria was frightened. Her breathing intensified as her heart pounded in fear.
Wait, who is this? This can’t be Angela? She’s still asleep!
The girl began laughing at Alexandria and slowly reached out towards her face. Alexandra’s vision had darkened now, because all she could see was pure darkness. She only heard the girl’s tormented giggling. Alexandria couldn’t move and had no idea what was bound to happen.
“Let’s have some fun before I let you go… druggy.” The girl laughed and Alexandria screamed out of horror, not knowing what was happening. “Time to test your little confidence and watch you be the stupid scum of society that you are.”
Alexandria continued screaming into the darkness until she saw speckles of light. She blinked rapidly, and placed a hand over her face as huge rays of sunshine rained upon her. Alexandria lowered her hand and what she saw in front of her was not Michigan. It wasn’t familiar at all.
“Where… am I?”
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
She was so frightened. The brutal cold was gone, the depressing gray sky wasn’t there either. The streets, the buildings, everything was gone. She noticed she was now on a dirt path that led to a forest of darkened solitude.
“How… could? But! No…!” She started to freak out, but she got interrupted by the girl who giggled behind her.
Alexandria turned around and jumped backwards.
“Aww? What’s the matter? Afraid of a cute little girl like me?” The little girl frolocked around Alexandria, humming a tune from the Dark Ages. “Oh? From the look on your face I’d say you know the song I’m singing. Correct?”
Alexandria grabbed her chest. She could feel her heart was ready to explode from out of her chest. “Wh-Who are you? Where did you come from and where am I?” The girl ignored Alexandria and continued circling. “Stop! Stop singing that damned song about the Black Death!”
The little girl finally halted and reached out towards Alexandria. “Wow! You’re a fascinating girl, aren’t you? Yet, you chose drugs and the streets than to live with any other relatives.”
“H-How do you know that?!”
The little girl lowered her arms and approached Alexandria in a creepy and relaxing manner. “I know many things, Alexandria. Even by looking into your eyes I could see your past, your future, but more importantly…”
Alex froze in fear, allowing the girl to grab her hands and share her coldness that felt like ice with her.
“…when you’ll meet your miserable end.”
Alexandria didn’t like the tone the little girl was giving off, but she was just too scared to do anything. Then the girl let go and backed away.
“But I’m giving you a chance.”
Alexandria felt her own hands, which were getting colder. “Wh-What do you mean? Another chance?”
“Look behind you.”
Alexandria did what she’d said and turned around. She saw two different paths. One led to a trail into a beautiful forest of life and beauty, while the other led to a forest that was familiar to the winters of Michigan.
“I have no clue what is going on… I don’t know if I’m high or going crazy, but…” She turned back to the girl and seemed confident. “…this could all be just a dream, so I’ll play your little game.”
“Ding, ding, ding. You guessed it… it’s a dream,” she said without any effort. “So now that you know you’re dreaming, do you believe you have control over it? Perhaps that’s why you have such a confident look.”
Alexandria nodded. “None of this is real and I’m probably sleeping in the shack with Angela, waiting for my hubby to return.
“Okay smart one, then choose. Pick the right path and you’ll be given another chance, but choose the wrong one and you’ll soon meet your end, intended by the order the world has chosen for you.”
Alexandria laughed at her, and all her feelings of fear were no longer present. “We’ll see about that because no matter the path I choose, I’ll adjust it and pull something out of my ass to save myself.”
She started walking away from the girl, then gave the little girl the finger.. “Well… I have no clue who you are but I don’t care if you aren’t real… so fuck you! Hahaha!”
Alexandria, with a giant blanket of confidence, ran off into the distance and smiled as she approached the beautiful forest.
“This is it! Let’s do this and wake up to see my hubby’s face!” she shouted with determination and ran into the forest.
The little girl sighed out of disappointment for Alexandria. “I tried giving her a chance, but alas… humans are dumber than they were in the past.” She shook her head and shrugged. “The forest on the right represents judgment. Yes it’s beautiful and seems the safest, but walking into something just because it looks normal doesn’t deem it to be the safest route. In the end, it’ll only crush your spirit and force you into succumbing to your demons.”
She giggled and started fading away into withered smoke. The area around her too dissipated into blown smoke, seeming as if the brutal strong winds were apparent. The girl was almost gone, along with the world they were in.
“She had no idea the one to the left was the one back to her reality… Stupid idiot probably hasn’t realized that she’s already taken her hit and is going off her temporary boost. Hopefully my Jack can see how much of a loser you truly are, Alexandria.”
Everything faded to black, and complete darkness overtook Alexandria’s vision once again.
Alexandria’s pupils had dilated and her mouth was open. She was at a loss for words. With a syringe dangling off her arm, she lay sideways as if she were dead, mumbling words and still seeming like she was experiencing that dream. Her calmed breathing echoed in the shack and her eyes started watering. She’d broken her promise to Jack. Oblivious to succumbing to her addiction, Alexandria laid there like the failure she had always been.
The girl softly whispered into Alexandria’s consciousness, “Too bad you wasted your life and chose the wrong path. You would’ve followed your parent’s sacrifices and still live a normal life, but no! Instead, you’re nothing more than just a mere junkie like how they were.”
Jack and Joseph returned and noticed that Angela was all alone. Jack assumed that maybe Alexandria went out to get something real quick. He then noticed a note next to Angela. He grabbed the note and opened it, reading the slip of paper. He was relieved to know that it was from Alexandria.
“What does the note say?” Joseph asked.
“I’ll read it to you later,” Jack replied.
Jack then looked back at the note and read it.
Hi Jack. If you’re reading this, don’t worry. I’ll be back in two days. I’m just visiting an old friend, so please don’t worry about me.
Sincerely, your future wife,
Alexandria
Joseph immediately knew the true meaning of that letter and felt disappointed. He didn’t want to tell Jack the truth or else he’d get hurt if he knew what the letter meant.
Jack gazed at the window and noticed white flakes. It was starting to snow. Both males walked outside to watch the first flakes touch the ground.
“Looks like it’s going to be an early white December. Huh kid?”
Jack watched the white flakes of heaven touch the sinful ground and lightly land on his warm face. “It’s been almost three years since I’ve seen snow. I’m happy to see it, but I’m not excited.”
Snow fell onto Jack’s clothes. He closed his eyes, thinking about how happy he could have been if his family were there with him. Joseph patted Jack’s back and they both watched the snowfall together.
The sky turned gray without a cloud in sight. Snow thickened and the winds blew fast like a windstorm. The cold grew gruesome, not even a fire’s warmth was enough to heat up Jack and Joseph. It was beginning to get dark and the winds grew even harder.
Jack continued to worry about Alexandria. He wasn’t sure if she was inside some shelter or sleeping somewhere in the streets.
“You mustn’t worry too much. It’s not good for your health,” Joseph said.
Jack relaxed and believed in Joseph’s words. They both went to sleep and made sure that Angela was warm enough so she wouldn’t get any worse than what she already was.
As night consumed the sky and forced everyone into slumber, Joseph slept and heard something was different. It wasn’t the wind, he knew that for sure. Getting up, he looked outside to figure out what the strange sound was. He opened the door and the first thing he saw was someone or something standing underneath a street light.
The snowy wind was blowing so fast he couldn’t tell who or what it was. He rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn’t just seeing things, but as soon as he looked again, no one was there.
Joseph chuckled and sighed in relief, assuming that it was just a side effect of not using heroin anymore. He closed the door and lay back down, but when he did, he noticed there was something poking his back. He reached round and found a used needle, then quickly reacted. He had every intention to throw it away, but he couldn’t. However, Joseph remembered how he’d stored away some heroin in his bag.
He clenched the needle out of his own disappointment. “I’m sorry Jack, but I must shoot up one last time. Before an addict wants to go clean, they want to get high one last time, and I intend to do so.”
Joseph quickly cooked up some heroin outside so Jack wouldn’t notice. And when he finished cooking up, Joseph immediately injected the drug into his bloodstream. He got a sudden high and lost his mind.
He laughed and laughed, then talked rapidly to himself. “The great, fantastic, amazing, wondrous, lucious, devoted drug that heals my selfish stupidity to feed my patheticness to make me question my own well-being and seeing if it was a great idea abandoning the family he loved to shoot this devil into his wretched bloodstream! Hahaha!”
After five minutes Joseph stopped and relaxed. As soon as he headed back inside, he heard a voice inside his head.
“No, no, no, you aren’t done yet! You want to do more, don’t you?” The voice chuckled.
Joseph smiled. “Yes! I want more! More! More!!!”
He grabbed his bag and went outside again. He cooked up so much heroin that it was enough for a group of eight people. He smoked it, snorted it and injected it.
The voice laughed along with him. Every time he would stop, it kept pressuring him into doing more. “That’s it! You’re almost on your way to freedom!”
Joseph wasn’t feeling so well and collapsed. He dragged himself with barely any energy spared. Finally reaching the door, he got up and tried opening it, but he was too out of it. He started hearing giggling and thought that was him just freaking out because of how high he was.
The giggling intensified. His whole vision went one-eighty, and he was extremely disoriented. With the full weight of his body, Joseph pushed the door open and fell onto the ground. His vision became blurry and he could barely keep his eyes open. He heard footsteps heading closer to him, so he reached out towards the oncoming footsteps.
He-Help… me,” Joseph said as he desperately tried staying awake, but he saw something that shocked him.
It was such a horrible shock to him that he started having a heart attack. Joseph grabbed his chest and sweated profusely. His heart was beating faster and faster, and yet it wouldn’t stop. He breathed his last breath as he witnessed something he would never have suspected. He died and his body lay lifeless. Dead from an overdose Joseph now couldn’t tell anyone what he saw.
The next morning, Jack woke up shivering and wondered why it had gotten so cold. He rubbed his eyes and spotted the door open. Joseph was lying on the ground.
Jack immediately rushed towards Joseph and tried waking him up, but it was no use, he wasn’t moving. Jack placed his ear against Joseph’s back to hear his heart. It was silent. His body was out cold and blue.
Jack spotted all the used substances on the ground behind Joseph, then looked at Joseph’s body and lowered his head in disappointment. Wrapping his arms around Joseph’s legs, he dragged his body outside and placed a blanket over him.
He grabbed a makeshift shovel nearby and walked behind the shack. He began digging calmly at first, but those new images of them talking about starting a new life started flashing in his mind.
Jack dug with no emotion though, and he cried a little but not of sadness. It was out of anger towards Joseph. Jack stabbed the ground angrily and clenched his teeth as he dug Joseph’s grave. He was digging with so much frustration at the fact that he had broken his promise. Cold, hard splinters dug into his palms and his cold blisters grew bigger, but Jack didn’t notice.
“You damn fool. After that night we talked about it. In the end, it was all just a lie, wasn’t it?” Jack shouted while digging aggressively. “Why Joseph? How could you?”
Jack’s fingers felt numb and cold. He finished and walked back inside the shack.
He dragged Joseph’s body to the back. It took Jack a while to drag his stiff, frozen body, but he managed to do so. He kicked his body into the hole from the anger he had towards Joseph and began to cover the grave until the ditch was completely full. Jack then placed Joseph’s bag on a stick, stabbing the ground to make it his tombstone.
Jack looked at the grave and for some reason, he didn’t feel any remorse. He stood there as snow quickly piled up and covered the grave. Jack prayed and said goodbye to Joseph. Looking back one last time, Jack realized that he’d most likely forget about Joseph which was the sad reality of his cruel world.
Jack walked off, not looking back anymore. He had to focus on taking care of Angela, no matter what it took, even if it killed him in the end.