We all gathered round the breakfast table. As I sat down I began to admire Sam’s envious face. His skin was pore less and as pale as cold marble. Sam had perfectly shaded eyes which took a piercing green colour, and his lips and cheeks were the perfect shade of pink.
Today he seemed strange; irritable in a way. I automatically assumed that he was coming down with a cold, for he kept rubbing his nose and his skin was paler than usual.
Just as Sam finished his breakfast, he suddenly propelled out of his seat. Then he tenaciously charged up the stairs; with each stomp he took it vibrated throughout the whole house. Then it was followed by the deafening sound of Sam slamming his bedroom door.
Dad and I looked at each other in bewilderment over Sam’s irrational behaviour, but then we remembered, Sam is anything but a morning person.
Just as we had realised this the doorbell rang, Dad looked at me with a tired expression on his face.
“Could you get the door please” dad moaned. I knew he wasn’t really tired just extremely lazy, but not wanting to take any chances, I made my way to answer the door. After I opened the door I found myself looking at disorganised hair and spot prone skin I was looking at Luke, one of Sam’s best friends. With a stutter he asked if he could see Sam. Just as I was about to get Sam, I caught a glance of Luke’s eyes. His pupils looked dilated. It was almost like they were fully black.
Thinking no more of it I, proceeded to Sam’s bedroom. Being cautious, I knocked before entering. No answer! I stopped to listen to what Sam was doing but no sound or light was emerging from his door. I tried to open it but it felt like something was barricaded against the door. I was getting annoyed now, Sam was in solemn teenager mode and I was having none of it. Collecting every fibre of my energy I pushed the door unbelievably hard and I was able to weasel though the gap I made. A black figure sloped over Sam’s bed.
I tentatively turned on the light and what I was about to witness would play over and over in my mind forever.
It was Sam with an icy blue face, his lips and cheeks had lost their perkiness. I quickly checked his pulse. No beat, and that’s when I saw it. There was a needle placed into his arm. Suddenly when I looked at him, it was like Sam wasn’t there anymore and didn’t feel envious of him, just full of pity.
Realising the full extent of what had happened I went tell dad, only to find him stood behind me. Dad’s eyes were red and his face was wet with tears. I looked at his face, normally I could tell what he was thinking. So when I looked into his eyes for comfort, instead I saw nothing except insecurity and emptiness. After that there was a moment of silence.
“Only if I……..” Dad stopped me before I could finish and said the comforting words “there’s nothing you could have done”.
Dad took me down stairs and sat me in front of the roaring fire. It still made no difference. I felt the heat on my face and running though my clothes, but inside I felt so cold! A shivery tear ran down my cheek and that’s when it hit me like a ton of bricks. My big brother; who I cared so much for, is no longer speaking. No longer breathing…………... No longer living!
I felt a sudden urge of anger. It was like I was given a shiny new toy, only just to have it taken off me for no apparent reason. I wanted answers and I wanted them as soon as possible.
“How did it happen” I said this in a small melancholy voice, but dads answer only unearthed what I most feared. The way he said it seemed like only speaking the word brought him pain. He replied with the chilling word;
“Drugs”.
