Page 6 of Neon Pestilence
“You smell so good,” she says, lost in a haze of marijuana smoke and mushrooms. I bring her closer to me and inhale. Myrrh and lavender, like always.
I don’t respond. Ineverrespond.
I reach my gloved hand under my robes, searching for the little happy tablets I’ve been working on. I open my palm toward her and look down at them, an offering. She accepts it blindly, not even questioning what it is.
Stupid girl.
She throws her head back, her throat working as she swallows the pill.
Such a good little experiment.
Her head whips to meet my gaze almost instantaneously. She can’t see my eyes, but she can feel them. I watch her out of the eyeholes of my mask, assessing her symptoms. Her pupils dilate, growing as small as the width of a toothpick. It looks weird,surrounded by the bright blues she has, like a pile of debris in the ocean.
“Wha-What did you give me?” she stutters, eyes fluttering as her system adjusts to the intrusion of the unknown drug.
My eyes darken as a bead of sweat pools on her hairline. I lick my lips, wanting to taste her saltiness. I bet she tastes fucking delicious.
“I feel so… good!” she squeals, grabbing at my bicep, her nails digging into my arm.
I wince in reaction and move to brush her off, but she stays. Falling to my feet, she continues her assault on my coverings, scratching at me, pleading with me.
“Please! Please. I need more! Do you have more?”
Her questions meld into panic as she scratches at her throat, eyes wild and searching. She’s caught in the drug’s hold. Her need for it outweighs her sanity. It’s working, and might I say,perfectly.
I move quickly, dropping a handful in her palm. I point to her and motion to the people around us. She must be a quick learner. Almost immediately, she turns to her left, offering one to the patient next to her. I watch in awe as the other person’s reactions mirror the ones she displayed just moments ago.
Fascinating.
Without waiting another second, I turn, my robes swaying under the sudden movement. I reach into my pocket and move through the crowd, offering Euphorium, then directing those accepting in the same way I did the young woman.
By tonight, over half of the people here will be under the influence ofmy drug.
It’s euphoric.
Chapter 6
Indy
It’s been an hour, and my body feels like mush, so fuzzy and relaxed. The fear and anxiety lingering in the back of my head completely dissipates. All I feel is the connection I have to the people around me and my body.
Music melts into me, surrounding me like a warm coat. I sway along, feeling the rhythm in the deepest parts of my bones. Feeling nothing but happiness and, Gods, I want more.
I move through the crowd like a snake. Sweaty bodies mingle around me, moving along with thethump, thump, thumpof the bass. Everyone is dancing and hopeful, eyes wide in wonder; it’s honestly amazing to see. Like they can escape the problems of their real life, even if it’s only for a weekend, and just breathe.
I smile to myself and make my way back over to my little group. They’re chilling on a picnic table, half-drank beat boxes and slices of pizza sprawled across the table.
One of the boys is lazily rolling a blunt while another is playing with some little pink happy face pills toward the corner of the wood.
“What are those?” I question, scooting into the corner seat across from him.
“I, honestly, am not quite sure,” he huffs, moving them around. “Someone passed me a handful. Called it euphoria, or something like that, and made me promise I would share it with my friends.”
“Sounds really fucking suspicious,” I counter back. My palms trace patterns in the wooden table, a nervous tick I have.
“Yeah, but I ran all the tests I have, and none of them are showing me anything. It’s not heroin, LSD, shrooms, none of it. I don’t think this is something the tests would even pick up; it doesn’t look like aknowndrug.”
“So… is it safe then?” I wonder aloud, still chasing a dragon I don’t think I’ll ever be able to catch.
