Sober
It was almost like sleeping on a bed last night. A thin pad of blankets and a pillow make a wonderful difference to hard floors and lumpy packs. I don’t think I’ve slept that well – or that long – in weeks. The others were talking quietly when I woke up, and that was a comforting sound. I just lay there for a little while, listening to them, to the cadence of their different voices.
They were talking about the doctor. About how it might take him days yet to get over the withdrawal.
Masterson started begging for more drugs last night. Begging to go back up to the reeking rooms upstairs, he had a secret stash, he’d be willing to share. Please, please, he just needed some more, it hurt so much.
I did feel sorry for him. He has his own winds that he’s prey to, only his are on the inside. Ours are on the outside, blowing us from disaster to disaster. All he wants is some relief from the pain.
We need him, and we need him sober. But I couldn’t bring myself to be the monster, to say no to him, to lock him away because it’s best for everyone. Who am I to do that? Who am I to force someone to my will, just because I can? Even with Nugget still fast asleep, even with Ben barely able to lie still with his burning chest. Even with the support of two big guys and their strong arms.
Sally took him into the next room when he started whining and moaning so loudly that none of us could sleep. I think she stayed with him for the whole night. There’s no lock on the door. There’s no-one holding him back. He can go and get his fix if he wants it. It feels like giving up, but sometimes you can’t save a person from themselves. Sometimes, it’s up to them to do it.
Will he be sober in time to make a difference? Will he get sober at all? I don’t know. It’s not up to me, and I hate it.
Tags: Masterson, Sally
- Category: 04. The Hospital,Uncategorized
