Black Lotus

14 - Pandora's Box

August 18, 2016 | Thursday

I wouldn't describe my current condition as "under the weather." I'd prefer to describe it as, "under self induced pressure." Yes, the horrid news about my mother stressed me out, but I still caused more damage to myself by overreacting and getting depressed. Never in my life have I taken prescription pills. But this afternoon, I was able to obtain a bottle of morphine from somebody I used to go to school with. It was a plain white bottle with no labels on it, so I wasn't sure how many to swallow. I popped two since that's usual protocol and a third for good luck.

On that day I discovered I couldn't handle drugs. Even if it was three measly pills; I became high as a kite, zoned out on the sofa half nauseous.

Waste my time, that was all Maximilian Armani ever did. I fell for it too. From May to August, I gave away four months of my life to someone I barely knew because of love. Love doesn't exist, only deceit does. That's the one thing love and politics have in common; in order for the most effective results, one must gain the trust of another and deceive them. Later, the person suffers. I am totally unsure of when the next time I might see him will be, but I know it's coming, and when it does, it's going to be pay back time. I had to face it, my life was pathetic now without him. That bastard had taken what little peace I had in my life and smashed it with an emotional hammer. It was like I was Pandora and all my demons were running loose out of the box.

The bullet should have struck me that day and let me die, better this than all the heartbreak.

I swallowed some more pills, then more after that. I don't know how many because I put the cap to my mouth and didn't bother to look. I took a few sips of water before completely passing out.

There was a bright light in my face when I woke up. I was no longer at Sincere's house, I was in a hospital room.

"Who brought me here? How long have I...?"

I saw someone standing over me, but my eyes weren't clear enough to see the person. But whoever it was, they were about to leave.

"Hey, wait!" I called out.

They pulled a hoodie over their head.

"Max? Is that... You?"

No answer. He left the room.

My feelings were starting to come back. "Max, wait!" I tried to get up but I was too drowsy to move my body.

I needed to see him. I wanted him to tell me everything was going to be okay and that everyone was wrong, including me. I held my head in my hands and started to deny that that was Max. Max wouldn't ever do this to me. I stayed in the hospital with him, how come he couldn't do the same for me?

"Oasis what is this I hear about you nearly overdosing on morphine capsules? Do you know that you could have died?" Uncle Sincere was back.

"The entire family was driving home from the airport when an anonymous number texted me and said you were here. What the hell is going on?"

"Sincere! Don't be so mean to the girl, she's been through enough today." A woman who must have been his wife, Genesis, smacked the back of his head.

"Yeah Dad, give her a break," a girl said. She was a thin girl with big eyebrows and curly hair. That was his older daughter.