“They slaughter people in that building, I’m telling you!” Luke—nicknamed “Druggy”—told the group of less experienced drug users, myself included.
“Sure, of course, they do. They keep the severed heads attached to those rings on top using barbed wire. The vent cover is obviously to expel the putrid smell from inside the building,” I replied jokingly. I really wanted to quit using that crap. I had just met a girl, and I wanted to be myself; she said that I could be a cool guy even if I wasn't high all the time.
“Exactly! This is proof that I am not going crazy. It’s this stuff we use that makes us blind, I’m telling you!” Luke promptly exclaimed.
“Sure, sure, uh, no, thanks, bud. I’m trying to quit,” I replied to Alfie, who was handing the stuff to me while I was answering Luke. Alfie shrugged, said “lol,” and took another round for himself.
My head was hurting quite a lot. I had taken some analgesic, but I wanted to push through, perhaps to be an example for these guys. I thought they were my friends, but we were just hanging out together—nothing more than that. In hindsight, I should have just gone home and never looked back. I would have saved myself from the PTSD that still haunts me after so many years.
As my headache intensified and the cold sweats began, my eyes also started to hurt a lot. It reminded me of that time at Nando’s when I’d touched my eyes with my fingers after handling super hot chili sauce.
I kept blinking hard and essentially crying. Then I tried to hold my eyes open, and I saw flashes of a completely different reality.
The building was not white but red, red like blood. I looked up at the three rings that Luke had pointed out and fell on my bum in shock. I couldn't believe it.
Severed heads, barbed wire—it was all there. My eyes were hurting because of the horrible stench, I believe.
The drugs were distorting our perception, numbing us to reality. Glancing around, I saw dozens of people who looked like they were having the time of their lives, partying as if oblivious to the atrocity unfolding before them. Further off, something even more bizarre caught my pained eyes. Men in suits with individuals in white coats were handing out these drugs for free, while others were led inside that ominous building.
Among the ones wearing a coat, I recognised her. She saw me too and I could read her lips saying “Sorry”, “I told you” and then “Go away” as she entered.
I felt betrayed even if maybe she just wanted to save my life.