The Mystery of Scarlett

Chapter 45: Addictions

"The question is frequently asked: Why does a man become a drug addict? The answer is that he usually does not intend to become an addict. You don't wake up one morning and decide to be a drug addict. It takes at least three months' shooting twice a day to get any habit at all. And you don't really know what junk sickness is until you have had several habits. It took me almost six months to get my first habit, and then the withdrawal symptoms were mild. I think it no exaggeration to say it takes about a year and several hundred injections to make an addict.
The questions, of course, could be asked: Why did you ever try narcotics? Why did you continue using it long enough to become an addict? You become a narcotics addict because you do not have strong motivations in the other direction. Junk wins by default. I tried it as a matter of curiosity. I drifted along taking shots when I could score. I ended up hooked. Most addicts I have talked to report a similar experience. They did not start using drugs for any reason they can remember. They just drifted along until they got hooked. If you have never been addicted, you can have no clear idea what it means to need junk with the addict's special need. You don't decide to be an addict. One morning you wake up sick and you're an addict."

~William S. Burrough

Matthew's Point of View~ Day of his death:

        My hands were shaking as I reached out to the glorious-damned thing that was the bottle. I left myself go into the bottle, and sighed contently as the bottle's magic took me over and took my worries away. I had reached a new bliss, that seemed indescribable. I was addicted, but I didn't care. Or I did, but I wouldn't let that stop me. When the bliss was over, I was left empty once again. Reality came back to me in hard flashes. Guilt striked my heart. Scarlett. I shouldn't have done that. Not again. This is the last time, I promised myself, even though I knew that it would never be the last time. I owed it to the one I love to quit. But, I couldn't quit, it was too late, and my mind was too far gone. I held the bottle in my shaking hand, and watched as the black poison that the bottle gave me, coursed through my veins, it almost made it's way to my heart, but it stopped at my shoulder. I sighed in relief, my addiction hadn't killed me yet. My mind went to Scarlett, and I could feel myself fall to a new low. A puff of purple smoke, appeared, and I could feel Scarlett appearing out of the cloud. I could already feel her disappointment, her look as she would stare at me with those beautiful green eyes, that would be filled with sadness. Then she would heal me using her magic, she would try to reverse the damage. Because, that's what she always tries to do. Do the right thing. I couldn't help but love her for it. I hated this addiction, almost as much as I hated myself for the fact I couldn't stop it.

        But it wasn't Scarlett who came through the portal. I didn't know him. His golden eyes gazed at me, as if I was the lowest thing on Earth. Maybe I was. He had obsidian black hair, he grabbed me  by my collar and pushed me up against the wall. I was too weak, all I could was watch carefully, empty. "Who are you?" I choked out. He growled at me, primal and wild. He was a werewolf, I suddenly realized. I reached for my wand but my arm was too short. His hands were wrapped around my neck, as he squeezed my neck. I gasped for air, but was given no avail. I could feel my body failing, my heart stopping. The man, looking no older than eighteen, whispered in my ear.

        "She won't know me now. I have to wait a few centuries for her, but she's worth it. After all, Scarlett is always worth it. It's apart of the plan, you know. You're apart of something greater, that prophecy you found, the one you were going to show here. Certain things have to happen, there are forces at play, something no one can understand. Something not even Scarlett can see. But there will come a time when the prophecy will come true. You only found half, the other half is gone. But don't worry, I'll find it. So I guess I should say that you have to die. But, I'm not sorry you have to die, because you are standing in the way of me and my soulmate. My name's not really important. But just a fun fact, in the future Scarlett will name me Obsidian."

        The world became dark, and I could feel myself losing consciousness. I had to warn Scarlett, I thought desperately. She needed to be protected, but it was too late for that. The last thing I heard was Obsidian's voice.

        "Goodbye Matthew." He said softly, as if almost regretful.

        But it was too late for regret. It was too late for anything, but darkness. I could feel my soul slipping away, myself becoming the one of many drops of water in the ocean. I was whole, I was connected, I was finally at peace with God. I was in heaven.