BEYOND THE EUPHORIA

Chapter 3:The Dark Bottom

Maddie's hospitalization is a wake-up call. I realize we've hit rock bottom, and I'm forced to confront the destruction our addiction has caused.
As I sit by her hospital bed, holding her frail hand, I feel a wave of grief and regret wash over me. I could lose the love of my life, and I'm not ready for the long cycle of trauma it will cause, I may as well just go with her.
The doctor's words echo in my mind: "If she doesn't get help, she'll die. Check yourselves in, she's lucky to be alive and so are you."
I know I need to act fast. I start making phone calls, searching for a rehab center that can take us both in.
After days of waiting, we finally get a bed at a local rehab center. I'm relieved, but I know the hard work is just beginning.
As we enter the rehab center, I'm hit with the harsh reality of our situation. We're not the only ones struggling with addiction. The rooms are filled with people from all walks of life, all fighting the same demon.
The first few days are brutal. Withdrawal symptoms ravage our bodies, and we're forced to confront the emotional pain we've been trying to escape and as long as we still have each other, we endure it or so we think.
But slowly, we start to heal. We attend therapy sessions, support groups, and counseling. We learn about the disease of addiction, and we start to understand the root causes of our behavior.
Maddie and I start to reconnect, bonding over our shared struggles and our desire to get clean. We hold hands, we cry together, and we start to rebuild our relationship. As the weeks pass, we start to see a glimmer of hope. We're not cured, but we're learning to manage our addiction. We're learning to live again. But just as we're starting to feel hopeful, a familiar face appears at the rehab center. Our dealer, the one who's been fueling our addiction for months, shows up, offering us a fix. Maddie and I exchange a glance, and we know we're at a crossroads. Do we give in to our addiction, or do we fight for our recovery?
The choice is ours, but we know it won't be easy. We're torn. Part of us wants to give in, to escape the pain and struggle of recovery. But another part of us knows that will only lead to more suffering.
"Let's do it," Maddie says, her voice barely above a whisper. "Let's get high and forget about all this."
I nod, feeling a surge of excitement mixed with guilt. We know it's wrong, but we can't resist the temptation. Our dealer hands us a bag of cocaine, and we take it, our hearts racing with anticipation. We lock ourselves in the bathroom, feeling like we're sneaking away from the rehab center's watchful eyes.
As we snort the cocaine, we feel a rush of euphoria. Our worries disappear, and we're transported back to the good old days, when drugs were our escape from reality.
But the high doesn't last long. We come crashing down, our guilt and shame overwhelming us. We know we've made a mistake, and we can't undo it. We emerge from the bathroom, our eyes red and puffy, our faces pale. The rehab center's staff is waiting for us, their faces stern and disappointed.
"Alex, Maddie, you've relapsed," our counselor says, her voice firm but compassionate. "You need to leave the program."
We're devastated. We know we've let ourselves and each other down. We're forced to leave the rehab center, feeling like failures.
As we walk out into the bright sunlight, we're met with the harsh reality of our situation. We're addicts, and we can't escape it.
But as we look at each other, we know we can't give up. We have to keep fighting, for ourselves and for our relationship.
We take a deep breath and start walking, unsure of what the future holds, but determined to face it together.