Neverland

1.

Behind the gold lights that illuminated the foggy skies, with the smell of distraught hard labor, were covered with tall buildings that exhausted smoke that would pollute the sky. Alike the words of my soul, that ignited a fire and pollute my lungs; my vision. I was unable to truly appreciate the beauty of the gold lights. And I too, were just as foolish of the privileged that drove by this dark city. Admiring only the lights, appalled by smoke that escaped from the towers, unmoved by the hardworking men that oiled, dug, and scratched at the breaking ground, only to uplift the glorified hell they saw.

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I think my favorite part was the initial rush, I mean, I think that's every addict's favorite part. The euphoric shiver that rushes through your body and engulfs your entire being. The world seems brighter- newer. As if you were given a whole new lens on life and you were in control of it all. And the problems? God- what problems? They were as if they had never existed, not even the small insignificant issues that would once cloud your thoughts seemed to have vanished from existence. Anxiety, depression, any complications of the brain were no longer an issue.

A quick snort of blow and a needle in the arm filled was all it took for me to reach this heaven-on-earth feeling. It was numinous.

I heard my friend Kelsey call my name from the other room, I saw her dark hair appear from around the corner, tugging on her white tank top- she had just finished screwing our dealer in order to score us free drugs.

Whore.

That's what she was. But as long as it kept me with what I needed, I would never tell her that. She's too sensitive to hear what I have to say anyways.

"Kristen," She repeated and I blinked my eyes a few times to clear my vision and I straightened my back. I was lying on Hank, our drug dealers, couch.

Hank didn't sound like a drug dealers name. Then again, Kristen didn't sound like a strung out 17 year old name either.

Kelsey stumbled into the room, licking her dry lips for a moment and tossed me a baggie.

"Let's get out of this shithole, yeah?" She pursued, rolling her eyes and I smirked to myself. They were arguing again, no doubt.

"I heard that Kels! You always do come back to this shithole though, don't you?" I heard Hanks, disoriented voice call from the room Kels had just exited. Kelsey rolled her light brown eyes, that were highlighted with an unflattering blue eyeshadow.

"I think I'm going to go home. I have to study." I insisted, knowing damn well, I was probably just going home to watch TV and probably call someone over to get high with.

I didn't like getting high with Kelsey most of the time- she was too quiet and often guilt tripped herself into telling on herself. She would talk about the drugs, but not the fact she was sucking random dick for it.

I grabbed my keys from the table and led us down the stairs and out to my car. Kelsey mumbled under her breath the whole way down, complaining that Hank was an asshole.

"You don't have to keep fucking him, you know? We can go elsewhere." I insisted, getting fed up with hearing her banter.

"But he's the only one who I know for sure is clean." She insisted. Clean being the operative word; clean meaning as in STD free, but certainly not from blow.

"That didn't stop you from topping off the pizza guy, Allen, Maria's brother-" She stopped me, even though I could've named at least 5 other guys. Kelsey did have an amused smile plastered across her face, as if in a way she were proud of herself.

"That's different. That's more of an elective rather than an actual job." She defended and I grimaced. She held such pride in her slutty ways and for that, I could never quite understand. We both could afford our supplies, but she chose to work for it anyways. I didn't understand Kelsey. I never did but never truly cared to at the same time.

"You coming to first period tomorrow?" I ask, changing the subject, getting fed up with the old one. "If I wake up on time. Tomorrow afternoon is Bible Study night, so I need to have my rest for that." She says with a chipper smile and I can't help but chuckle.

"A well behaved Pastor's daughter by day, meth head prostitute by night. You're a damn paradox Kels." I mumbled, trying to concentrate on driving. But in all honesty, apart of me wanted to go out somewhere, maybe crash some college party I already knew how to get to. But I had school.

"I like when you call me that." She said with a wide grin and began to sway back and forth.

That was all we said for the rest of the car drive. I turned on the radio with the latest pop song blasting through the speaker. I hated listening to this but I knew Kelsey enjoyed it, so I let it play as loud as her strung out ears could handle while I made a mental note to never call her Kels again.

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Authors Note: Please keep in mind that this is a short story, the chapters vary, some are extremely short, some are long, but I'll update many times a day.