Inhale

Chapter 1

This is my end.

The end of my life that was once beaming with opportunities, the end of my family that was once happy and strong. The end of my body that was once healthy. This letter is a message and a warning. I was once going to be something, now I will not. I fell weak and tried something that took me and never let me go. All it took were three simple steps. 

Suck.

Inhale.

Release.

Three simple steps for a few seconds of euphoria. One day, I decided to try something that little did I know would be my end. My mind went crazy and I was beginning to lose myself. I woke up and inhaled, went to sleep and inhaled. Stopping was out of question as the addictive toxins flew through my bloodstream and reeled me in like rope. It crawled under my skin and ate my flesh. This is my end, and I pray you don't meet the same end as mine. 

                                                                                                 ~

 "I don't understand all the hype about it, honestly." Rachel's high pitched voice comes from the other side of the lunch table.

"I do." Larry mumbles underneath his breath.

"Yeah, of course you do." Rachel's rolls her eyes. "Every boy in this school does."

"Not me." Ashton interrupts. "Did you read that kids letter, before he killed himself?"

"Yeah it was awful. That thing he said he tried, in the letter, it was the Haler." Rachel pointed out. "Reeled him in and never let him go." 

Like anything in high school, it spread. Last week was the girl who got pregnant, it spread into everyone's ears and out their mouths to the next person yearning to know the story. In the mix, things got confused and told in different points of view. The letter left behind was no different. He was depressed, he was bullied, or he was killed. The stories circulated the school and everyone was reading the letter.

"He was in my psych class." Larry said, devouring a cheeseburger drenched in ketchup. "I guess the Haler just got to his head, he snapped."

"Do you know what they said about his body?" Rachel whispered in her breathe. "They said he was found in the woods, covered in snow."

"So?" Larry said.

"They also said his body was covered in like bugs?"

"I heard that too." Ashton said. "Probably just a rumor."

Ashton looked at his buzzing phone, to view a message from his mom. His ride home would have to be one found on his own, because his mom was working late. Ashton knew Rachel had student government after school so she was a no go. Larry on the other just got his license and he was the perfect candidate.

"Larry, can you drive me home?"

"Yeah sure, bro. I just gotta make a few stops." Larry said.

Ashton dreaded going anywhere except his bed after school but he knew taking the bus would be worse. Ashton walked to his last two blocks, struggling to get through Algebra II, as Ashton did everyday. As the last bell rang for the day, Ashton walked towards the spot where Larry's rusty Honda, with one tail light knocked out sat

"Yo." Larry said, smoke exhaling from his mouth.

Ashton knew Larry used the Haler, and he used it all the time. The smell of something sweet...cotton candy lingered in the air. Larry manually unlocked his car, after several tries and did the same for Ashtons side of the car. The window was cracked, covered by blue tape. Larry's car was littered with refillable Haler containers, each one of them empty. Water bottles and bags of food trash the floor of Larry's car.

"I just gotta get some Haler refillables." Larry says, taking another hit, releasing a puff of sweet smelling smoke.

Ashton looked at Larry, as one hand was on the wheel and one hand was attached to his small rectangular Haler device. Black and smooth, the top of it detaches whenever you've decided your body needs more of the unknown chemicals. 

"Do you even know what's in those? They say they're addictive, impossible to stop." Ashton said.

"Yeah, no shit. I've had about fifty refillables. Only side effect is my head itches sometimes. All that shit they say is bull. Nothing in these that'll hurt ya." Larry said. "You wanna try, I know you said you wouldn't but..."

"Yeah, no I'm good." Ashton said.

Except deep down, Ashton wasn't good. The idea of trying something new, dangerous, and unfamiliar sounded ideal to him. Why not feel a few seconds of calmness every now and then with just three simple steps. 

Suck.

 Inhale. 

Release. 

Ashton did not have to get addicted to it, like Larry so blatantly was. He could just use it a few times, getting addicted to it could be avoided, right?