What he saw was a distorted vision of himself, once as healthy as anyone could imagine, he now saw the black circles under his eyes and his cheekbones jutting out. He gingerly touched the spot that now protruded on his face. He winced when he found barley any flesh was covering it at all.

His 'friends' had left only a half and hour ago, but to Eli it seemed like eternity, he glanced at the clock, listening he heard the rhythm of the seconds go by, as if it were his own heartbeat. As he concentrated on the sound, it soon became the only thing he could hear, sounding like it was on surround sound, Eli quickly threw the clock against the wall, smashing it into pieces. He quickly sighed and lit up a cigarette, he then proceeded to lie back onto the couch.

Suddenly the phone rang and Eli's heart jumped, he quickly ran to the phone, which rested on the countertop in the other room.

"Hello?" He rushed over to the window, suddenly feeling beads of sweat accumulate on his forehead, he absentmindedly listen to the voice on the other end of the line. But seemed more interested in searching the view outside of his window.

Eli quickly ended the conversation and ran into the kitchen to grab his jacket, as he rushed toward the door, he paused and looked back at the table. One line left, just sitting there waiting for him. He quickly sat back down in his original spot and grabbed his tutor.

The white powder rushed, excitedly up his nose. He violently threw his head back, letting the drug absorb into every part of him. He sat there for a minute or two, enjoying the rush he had gotten.

He got up and rushed out of the door, the same smile never leaving his face.

:: ::

"I just need enough to tide me over until, my main man gets back into town." Eli glanced around nervously at his surroundings.

He hated new people, they were like the AIDS virus just waiting to either attach to you or kill you. This new guy, was a friend of a friend, and risky or not, Eli really hadn't had much of a choice.

The sweating resumed as he waited for the man to weigh out his coke. There were a few men in the corner of the room, playing cards and drinking whiskey.

"Three of a kind!" The black haired man on the right side of the table exclaimed as he threw his hand down, in the other guys face.

Eli jumped, higher than he had expected to. The man just laughed and began to collect his money. Eli helplessly watched frame by frame of this couple, until the over-weight 'friend of a friend' tapped him on the shoulder. Again Eli jumped, feeling like his heart had been ripped out of his chest.

Eli grabbed the bag and quickly rushed out of the apartment.

:: ::

Eli sighed as he exhaled the thick smoke, he laughed a little and passed the joint onto the next person. Some how he had ended up sitting with a couple of drunks, after leaving the bar that night. And now here he sat, with a strung out junkie to his left and a slightly happier drunk to his right.

They laughed together, never missing a beat. Eli soon began to study these two characters more carefully, a sudden panic ran over the course of his body. He quickly left and found himself back where he had started, that very same morning.

A line in front of him, carefully chopped and aligned, now sat there taunting him for just one more. But something caught Eli's eye more carefully this time. He stared back at his own reflection and this time, it was as if it was talking directly back to him. The stare said it all, "What the hell is going on?"

:: ::

Eli stood nervously, hands shaking, as he peered at the hospital in front of him.

"Grant me the serenity."

THE END




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