Love on Drugs

 

She is beautiful. The world can see that, even with the dismal and unpleasant setting she is placed in. She doesn't match the grimy streets. Beyond her soft features, fear seeped through delicate gray eyes She grips his arm tightly, but not to be clingy. She’s not asking for a beating. He is anxious, shivering and sweating. His thoughts are focused on one thing only; his habits were aching at him. She needed his love, he needed his fix. Her visions of love involved hand holding and everlasting afternoons, but hopes are replaced by reality. Now she’s grown accustomed to strange people and dark alleys. This was her reality, a heartbreaking, tragic, situation.

           His hands are uneasy, his constant fidgeting ceased when a stranger approached. A mysterious man, he wore a mask made of the nights darkness, body concealed. Her boyfriend releases her arms, leaving her exposed and unprotected. Then man and he bargain, speaking in quite, harsh voices. He’s sweating more now, but he also shivers. He gives in; he needed the drugs through his veins. No matter what the cost, or the consequence, it was his hold on life. He depended on the drugs like a child depends on their mother.

Each time she sees him insert that needle, she must look away. As unhappy as she was, this was what life gave her. She hates every moment of being with him, but she is well fed and housed. Could she ask for more, when many have much less?

The night drags on, back to their homely slums. He's gone from a fading shadow, to someone full of life. His eyes were crazy, and the smack took hold. This energy can twist, turn to rage. Demented, take the form of a monster. She’s got so much fight left, but strength can be the enemy. It betrays her, as life has. Her body jerks with terrifying shock, and her heart is jump started with fear. The girls eyes burn with tears, as her mouth burns with hatred. Love only exits through imagery. Sweet, innocent, pure love. Ruined and stained with violence. But a decision must be made, lonely or abuse. As unfair as life is, you can’t fight back with loneliness.

 

"I F*****G HATE YOU", she screams, reaching for a lamp;

 

      He's skulking closer, hunting her down. Aggression sends shivers through his body, he distorts into the nightmare. She throws the lamp, with no avail, her last desperate attempts failed as the lamp breaks aside with shattering despair. His face was scratched and bloody, but he kept approaching, still pursuing her with a Cheshire cat smile.

Just like the lamp, the urge to go on fell apart. Fear became apparent, giving him the victory. He knows, like a revealed secret, that he has one this vicious battle.

He roughly grabs her by the hair, as she sinks to her knees in submission. He can’t touch her bittersweet memories. As each blows falls upon that beautiful face, she takes herself back. To a happier time when her friends and family could see her. When her mother’s arms were a safe haven, now she needed tat safe haven against this brutal attack.

 

The window is ice cold, as she wearily leans against it. If her heart was as cold as the fog, she wouldn't feel this aching pain. The need to change the course of her future. The need to make her mother proud. She picks up the phone, softly dialing each number known by heart. Her heart waited patiently in anticipation, but finally, her mother’s voice lit up the world

Reviews

[LouieBee]

Such a heart felt story this is. I hope it is fiction! That'd be quite tragic if it were true. I cherished the intensity though. It felt very real and very visual. The only criticism I have for this piece is that it's too short! Although I am not left with any questions about character or plot developing, I would love to know more about these two people. All around great job!

LB

[Nicole Kristen Marino]

It's completely fiction. But I can understand the emotions behind abuse. To be honest, injustices of the world inspire my writing, that's why 80% of my stories are sad. And yeah, short stories are my thing, I could never imagine writing a story that is longer than two pages. Thank you for the compliments though!