Deep in the streets of Los Angeles, a young woman, age twenty eight, was sitting in a dusty old apartment. Her hair was dull and disheveled. Her face looked tired and worn. Cobwebs adorned every corner while dust dressed the three pieces of furniture she owned. A table, a chair, and a frame which held her wedding picture.
She began shaking, even though she wasn't cold.
Everything was dark but the slits of moonlight that came in from the window shades.
"Damn, this is my last one.."
She took the packet of the white powder and put it four lines. On the coffee table. You could tell she'd done this before, since there was still residue from her last hit. She snorted every single line as if her life depended on it.
Her life did depend on it. This had been a ritual of many nights for Tasha Jackson. The stress had gotten to her and she just broke down. Tasha had the life. She was married to the most wonderful man and she had a beautiful daughter with him, Aniya.
But she lost it all.
It all went down the drain when she got addicted. Her husband was a very good man. He tried to help her so much. He paid for rehab but she checked out so many times, what was the use. He gave her the ultimate ultimatum: Her family or crack.
She chose crack.
She laid back as the effects of her hit came into action.
Tasha hadn't seen her family in so long, she missed them....God she missed them. But every time she tries to stop, she can't. The drug has her programed like a robot; it controls her.
The wave of high came down and she floated back to reality. She looked around and she was alone. That's how it always will be: loneliness.
Tasha frowned as she remembered the beautiful life she had and the wonderful man she'd married. Tasha hated this feeling of remorse. She hated how this drug has taken her life away. She hated that she couldn't see her daughter anymore. She hated herself.
She needed more. Tasha grabbed her last twenty dollars and cleaned up a bit before heading out.
********************
The dark streets of California are not where you want to be walking but She knows the streets all too well.
Tasha spotted the man she was looking for. She quickly walked over to him.
When she got there, it was someone else. She was confused.
"Who are you?", she asked.
"I'm Kappa, I'm filling in for Sly tonight. What can I do you for?"
"Well, if you're filling in for Sly, you should know what I want," she said in agitated whispers.
"Oh, you want this," he said pulling out a little packet of the ghostly substance.
"Yes please."
"Well you got the money?"
"Yes, it's right here," Tasha said pulling the twenty dollars out.
After the transaction, Tasha went on her way but as she walked down the street, she heard a sound she wasn't expecting.
Police sirens.
Kappa ran like there was no tomorrow, leaving Tasha by herself. She too tried to run but had no luck.
"Damn," she thought to herself.
A police officer came out if the car and cuffed her.
"Ma'am you are under arrest for buying and having the possession of an illegal drug. Whatever you say or do can and will be held against you in the court of law...."
The man told her her rights and ducked her into the cruiser.
********************
Michael was walking back to the main house after a good day in the studio. He hadn't realized how long he'd been in there. He got there at 8:00am and left 12:00pm.
Once he got into the house, he went upstairs to check on his daughter Aniya. She was sound asleep hopefully dreaming of sweet dreams. Lately she'd been having nightmares of her mother. It was hard telling her that her mother had left them....
Michael closed his daughter's door and went into his bedroom close by. As he sat on the bed, he remembered how his wife would always be waiting for him. No matter how late, she'd be awake. She could never sleep without him.
They both suffered from insomnia and they always had trouble sleeping but when they were together, they'd sleep just fine.
He missed the way she would call him "Baby" and how she would smile when he kissed her. Also her wonderful laugh when he tickled her and the way she would scream his name in pleasure when they made love. What he missed the most was having her presence around. It's been so lonely at the ranch without her love to warm it.
Michael stripped his clothes and put on his pajamas. He laid down and closed his eyes.
********************
"Michael...."
"Michael...." He walked down the hallway and tried to find the source of her voice. "Tasha?" He saw a woman's figure at the end of the hallway that seemed to be where the voice came from. "Tasha, I'm coming!" He ran down the hallway but every time he'd go forward, the destination seemed to get farther and farther away. "Michael help me!!" "Tasha I'm coming. Please stay where you are!" The tiles on the floor began to fall from underneath his feet. Michael ran faster but he failed. The tiles fell faster. Down he went. Free falling into the unknown. Michael tried to hold onto something but the walls were plastered with some sticky substance. Down he fell, deeper into the abyss.
Finally he landed in a river of.... strawberry jam?
********************
Michael's eyes shot open. He was drenched in sweat. He sat up in the bed and tried to calm down.
The phone rang, jolting him a bit.
Ring! Ring!
Michael walked across the bedroom and picked it up.
"Hello?"
"...Michael, I need your help," a woman's voice sounded.
Michael was confused. "Do I know you?"
He heard a sigh on the other line. "Yes, it's me....Tasha."
His heart could have stopped right then and there. "T-Tasha? Is it really you?"
"Yes Michael, it's really me. I'm in jail and this is my only phone call so can you please come get me. Michael....I'm scared."
"I beg your pardon?? Jail? What did you do?"
"That's not important right now-- are you coming to get me? Please...I'm so scared."
As most kind-hearted people, Michael could not ignore her pleads for help.
He sighed. "Yeah...I'll be right there."
