“Celebrate…correctly?” I questioned.

Alejandro took the pouch out of my hands and spread it across the desk. “It’s called moon dust. It’s a drug that relieves stress and clears brain fog. It’s tradition when it comes to my partners and I that we partake after a deal.”

Alarms were immediately going off in my head. Just who exactly were these people that the boss got in with? Before I could reject, Alejandro pushed up his glass and leveled with me.

“I understand how there might be nervousness as this merge happens, but let it be known: It would be very unfortunate if you were to get on our bad side. Let’s do our best to not ruin any careers here.”

This man just implied that he could ruin my career. So many questions began to surface in my mind with the main one being: how does he have this much power? Out of fear of not wanting to lose my job, I took the drug. Just like Alejandro said, it was as if my mind became more clear.

After the party, it was just as Alejandro said. His company bought our real estate company the weekend after the party. For a short time, there wasn’t much of a notable change in the operations of the company. Business was as usual save for one exception: moon dust was seen more often at parties after a deal was closed courtesy of Alejandro. All of the seniors including myself were hooked onto it, and only got their most trusted juniors to join in on these more exclusive parties where they introduced them to the drug.

What Alejandro failed to tell us was about the addictive properties of moon dust. All of a sudden, Alejandro went off the grid entirely for an entire month. That entire month was the company’s worst performing month in its history. It was all because we couldn’t focus on anything other than ways to reach out and get moon dust. Because we went so long without it, we were exhausted beyond all reason, and more prone to anger and impatience because of our frustration.

Until one day, our lives changed suddenly, yet drastically.

“From this day forward, we’ll be using these offices as well as all other properties as dens to produce moondust.” Alejandro reappeared into our lives as quickly as he left them. This time however, he brought with him a ridiculous change in company policy. “Luckily for everyone here, you’ll be able to put your backgrounds in sales to use. You all will be working on the distribution of moon dust. You’ll get a two percent commission for every sale, but a substantial amount of moon dust.”

Everyone immediately started to protest.

“A two percent commission? Are you serious?! How are our livelihoods supposed to be guaranteed with such a small amount? We might as well work in fast food!”

“I just took out a loan for a house myself. I can’t do this…”

“Yeah, this is too drastic of a change for me…”

I was the only one to step forward. I didn’t care about the majority of the conversation happening around me. There was a single thing on my mind: satiating my craving.

“You said a substantial amount of moon dust? Just how much?”

Everyone’s arguments and protests died down. They were just as curious as I was. Because despite the deficit to the quality of life, each and every one of us will justify this deal by any means necessary. As long as we got our hands on some moon dust, we didn’t care at this point. We weren’t fooling anyone. This show of concern was just that: a show.

“Two pounds.”

“I’ll take it.” I said without an ounce of hesitation.

I could hear sparse murmurs across the room before more and more of my coworkers stepped up to accept Alejandro’s offer until the entire room was on his side. On hearing this, he snapped his finger and a cart with a mountain of pouches of moon dust was wheeled in as a means to extend an olive branch. Everyone gladly accepted and the rest became a blur after that. I simply felt a floating feeling carried by bliss. I felt completely disconnected from my body and every worldly connection.

“LEO!” A sharp pain across my cheek and my wife’s voice brought me back to reality.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

It took me months to remember that I have a wife and daughter to take care of…

“This is the last time I’m going to ask! What the hell did you do with our savings?!”

I looked around the darkness of our house as our child could be heard crying in the other room. I must’ve bought more moon dust instead of paying for the light bill. I get it now…

“I spent it all…” I said under my breath.

And with no money in our savings, we’re gonna lose the house in the next week too.

Tears welled in my wife’s eyes as she wiped them away and looked at me with a fury I never expected her to direct toward me. “I figured.” She stomped into the guest room and pulled out a suitcase as well as our daughter. I’ll never forget the words she said before stepping out of my life forever…

“You’re the worst thing that’s ever happened to me!”

The silence that filled that house after she left was as deafening as it was soul-crushing. My frustration coupled with my feelings of weakness made me want to relieve my stress. I didn’t want to break anything though so there was only one option for me. I ripped open the casing of the sofa to reveal an emergency stash of moon dust. I wasted no time taking it, but even when I consumed every ounce I had, it wasn’t enough. My happiness was like cup of water, and there was a massive leak I was trying to seal with drugs.

I eventually came to one conclusion though…

“Alejandro!” I gripped the arm of my couch as I stood up, staggering to keep my balance, and made my way out the door.

When I made my way back to those offices, two guards were at the front of the property but wouldn’t let me in. When they held me back from the very offices I would walk into to seal million Dol deals, a blind rage took over me and I screamed, “ALEJANDROOOO!”

Alejandro stepped out right before the gate. He made sure to stay a safe distance, with guards being a clear division between the both of us.

“How are you doing…Leo, was it?”

“Give me my job back! My old job!”

“I’m afraid that ship has sailed. I gave you a chance to deny it, but you were the first one to step forward, don’t you remember?”

I remembered. How could I possibly forget? I ruined all the things I had going for so long for short term gratification. Not only my life, but so many other people were affected because of the decision I made.

“I want you out of my town now!”

“That isn’t going to happen either.” He pushed up his glasses, turned around, and began walking off. “Just keep selling the product and there shouldn’t be any problems. You’re one of our highest earners, so you’ll be fine.”

I couldn’t help but call bullshit. After all, I have a house full of moon dust but barely even 1,000 Dol to my name. The things that actually matter in my life are all gone and he doesn’t even give a damn! He’s just walking away from it all. I was getting off of the high from the moon dust, so I was feeling a lot more lethargic. I wrestled with my brain to think of anything that would at least get him to turn around. That’s when a certain set of words slipped through my lips.

“You think you’re untouchable? I’ll call the cops and tell them all about your operations! I don’t care if I go down with you!”

Alejandro stopped in his tracks and let out a long and drawn out sigh.

“That was the last thing you should’ve said. Fine, we'll sell off all the properties and leave. If I didn’t have such a spineless colleague, you would be killed right here…but I told Don Adrianna I wouldn’t kill anybody during these operations. Talk about a pain in the ass.”

I was baffled. After ruining the lives of dozens of people and driving the value of so many homes into the dirt, he was just going to pick everything up and leave? I have to tell the police immediately! I have to get this man out of here!

I turned and immediately made a dash for the nearest police station. When I did, I told them my story and my encounter with Alejandro. When I led a couple of officers to the offices, it was already too late. The offices were empty and I could tell that they both felt like I was wasting their time.

“This some kinda joke?”

“No, it’s not! He was right here not even a couple of hours ago. He coerced me and the rest of my firm into selling his drugs.”

“You said you have some at your house, right? Show it to us.”

Just as the off ordered, I took him to my place and revealed all my stashes of moon dust. One of them made note of every location and estimated just how much was in my possession. That should’ve been my first clue that my life was going to get even worse.

“You’re under arrest for possession of moon dust. You’re coming with me.”

I as well as the rest of the workers in my firm went away for 15 years. When I came back out, I was introduced to a changed world that didn’t want me or care. There was a scary floating fortress in the sky, The kings of Holia have changed, and there was this new police force that call themselves the BCT fighting all sorts of atrocities that wanted to put an end to innocent lives. It really did feel like not only the end of my world, but the end of the world.

That is…until I met you, Bonnie.