Forever Young

Lost Cause.

The cycle repeated itself for days, each day merging into a haze of pain and self-loathing. Angela's relentless criticism at work only fueled Lucy's desire to numb herself further. Every harsh word, every disapproving glance, felt like a fresh cut deepening the wounds Tim had left behind. Lucy would return home each night, her body a shell, and seek solace in the bottle.

The once vibrant woman now moved like a spectre through her own life, her eyes sunken and her complexion pale from lack of food and sleep. The only colour that remained was the stark red of her cut-up arms—a testament to the internal war she waged each day. Her once neat apartment now mirrored the chaos that consumed her, strewn with empty bottles. *Why can't they understand? Why am I being punished for his mistakes?* She would ask herself these questions repeatedly, the alcohol providing no answers, only temporary numbness.

Her thoughts became consumed with anger and despair, her dreams plagued by nightmares of Tim and Angela's scornful laughter. It wasn't until she stared at her reflection one morning—eyes bloodshot and hollow, face gaunt, and hair dishevelled—that Lucy realised she was broken. The realisation hit her like a punch to the gut, knocking the wind out of her.

Lucy's day at work was a living nightmare. Everyone seemed to be avoiding her—even those who had once been her closest friends.. Their cold shoulders and averted glances cut deeper than any insult Angela could throw her way. She trudged through her duties, her heart heavy with each passing moment. When she wasn't being berated by Angela, she was met with deafening silence from her colleagues.

Their rejection stung like salt on an open wound, only amplifying her feelings of loneliness and isolation. By mid-afternoon, Lucy could no longer take it. She mustered up the courage to ask her superior if she could leave early, faking a family emergency. Grey barely looked up from his paperwork before granting her request, his indifference another painful blow. Stumbling out of the station, Lucy felt utterly defeated. She drove to the nearest convenience store, purchasing a substantial amount of vodka —anything to numb the pain that threatened to consume her whole.

Desperation drove Lucy to seek solace in the dark corners of the city. She found herself standing before a shady man she'd heard about through whispers at work—a man known only as 'The Shadow.' the most famous known drug dealer.. She knew this was wrong, she was supposed to be arresting him not buying from him.

He was leaning against a graffiti-covered wall, a cigarette dangling from his lips, eyes scanning the street warily. Summoning every ounce of courage she had left, Lucy approached him. "I need something... something good," she said, her voice barely audible. The Shadow raised an eyebrow, studying her with a mixture of curiosity and pity before nodding towards a nearby alleyway. He led her to a dimly lit corner, where he revealed a selection of illegal substances in plastic baggies- weed, cocaine.. more drugs than you could ever imagine.