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 braced on the counter as he

not slit his wrists. But Nicholas 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 cut himself. He felt around until he found a large shard of glass. He held it in his palm and then sat down on

deep as he could. The pain was 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

damn it!” He heard a familiar voice snap. Octavius had walked in. He felt his friend grab clothes applying pressure

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

***

was not one of theirs. Kinsley could see the concern on Naya’s face. They got out of the car and ran inside. Naya rushed to her husband, who looked worried. “Samuel, what is this?”

his life again,” Samuel told her. And she sobbed, covering her mouth with her hand. “Dr. Horton and

forced to look away. She did not want these people to see her cry. The rest of the first responders were standing around talking. They waited in the parlour for what felt like an eternity. Kinsley said nothing, only

Horton came into the room, 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

to the hospital for trying to kill himself, the press will have it all over the news. I will not have him humiliated. This stays

Dr. Horton said. “I noticed he has been abusing 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 to see how he is doing.

I go up and sit with him?” Kinsley

said with a weak

She opened the door to his room and went inside to find Octavius coming out of the washroom with a trash bag. He looked

how nice to see you. How horrible the