Love For Hire

Nicholas could feel the world move. He’d been on a binge for days. Booze and rugs. He sat on the foot of the bed naked. He opened his mouth as the prostitute he had been killing time with placed the drug on his tongue. It dissolved immediately, and then she kissed his mouth. Nicholas lay back, but it felt like he was floating as he lay back on the bed, the woman kissing her way down his body until her mouth wrapped around his cock.

He closed his eyes and lost himself to the altered state of mind. If he was lucky, he would die right now at this moment. He’d been popping far more of his medication than he should, mixing it with street drugs and copious amounts of hard liquor. He kept hoping he’d overdose. That he would have a bad reaction and just stop his heart, but despite what he took or what he mixed it with, he was still here.

He kept waking up.

Why… oh, why… would not God just let him die?

Nicholas faded in and out of reality. He had no concept of the passage of time. He could not tell anymore what time of day it was or if he was even alone. He did not feel the woman anymore, and his buzz was fading. So, he got onto his unsteady feet and found his way to the washroom. He reached around the counter, feeling for his pill bottles. He did not know which one he had grabbed, but he removed the lid and tipped his head back to dump the pills into his mouth, but nothing came.

Empty.

He threw the bottle to the floor and opened another, tipping his head back to pour the pills in his mouth.

Empty.

He opened one after the next and always got the same result.

Empty.

the counter, knocking everything to the floor. He was out of drugs. So much for dying in a chemical haze. He stood in the washroom. His hands

was resourceful. Giving in to his deep-rooted anger, he drove his fist into the mirror and heard it shatter. His hand hurt, and he knew he had

bittersweet. He transferred the glass from one hand to the other and cut his other wrist, then dropped the glass. He could feel himself grow weak as the blood left his body; he felt peace. The pain was a sweet release. His

had walked in. He felt his friend grab clothes applying pressure to his wrists, doing his best to stop the

saved. “No. Let me die,” he barely managed, and then he slumped over and lost consciousness.

***

there was an ambulance, two cop cars, a fire truck and a personal vehicle that was not one of theirs. Kinsley could see

tried to take his life again,” Samuel told her. And she sobbed, covering her mouth with her hand. “Dr. Horton and the EMTs are in his room with him trying to save his

heart almost stop. Had Nicholas finally succeeded in taking his own life? She felt tears fill her eyes, and she was forced to look away. She did not want these people to see her cry. The rest of the first responders were

removing bloody latex gloves. Everyone looked at him expectantly. Kinsley held her breath. “He is resting,” a gasp of relief spread through the room. “He cut fairly deep this time. I had to repair some of the damage. I have stitched him up and bandaged his wrists. I wish you would reconsider and allow me to take him to

kill himself, the press will have it all

his medication. I will write you a prescription to replace the drug, but I suggest someone monitor them in the future. We will all leave now. I will return in a few days

sit with him?” Kinsley asked as she came

course, child,” Naya said

opened the door to his room and went inside to find Octavius coming out of

see you. How