"Hey! Wake the fuck up!" Andre yelled, slapping Tori across the face a couple of times.
"Huh? What?" She mumbled, unsure of where she was, or what was happening.
"Get up and put your clothes on!" Andre ordered angrily. Tori sat up slowly, looking for her clothes and seeing them crumpled up on the floor. She got up on shaky legs and dressed.
"You bled all over my fucking sheets." Andre grumbled.
"Sorry..." Tori muttered.
"Just take this and get out." He said, shoving a bundle in her face. She took it from him and shoved it in her pocket.
"But you said two bundles." Tori protested, in no position to be arguing.
"Yeah? Well, you're not worth two bundles!" He growled, grabbing her by her thin shoulders and forcing her out of his room.
"Can you at least give me a ride?" She asked weakly, walking to the front door with Andre looming behind her.
"You got two legs." He said and shoved her onto the porch, slamming the door behind her and locking it. The realization of what happened hit her and tears pricked the corners of her brown eyes, but she was feeling too good from the dope to cry. She began the long walk back to her apartment. She had barely gotten past Andre's house when a scruffy, homeless looking man approached her.
"Uh, did you come from Andre's?" He asked nervously, his eyes shifting around. "Got any crack?"
"No." Tori answered and tried to walk past him when he grabbed her arm.
"You must have something. Come on, help me out." He pleaded.
"Sorry." Tori mumbled, snatching her arm free and walking quickly away. She glanced behind her and saw he was following her.
"Come on! Please!" He called out. Tori began to run, but the man was faster. He grabbed her and wrestled her to the ground. He dug his filthy hands into her pockets and triumphantly pulled out the bundle of heroin.
"No! Please! I need that!" Tori begged, but the man ran off out of sight. This time she did cry. In less than 24 hours, her girlfriend died, she turned a trick for the first time and had been robbed. She got up and continued to walk back home, tears steadily flowing. Finally, she arrived back at her apartment. She didn't want to live there anymore, not without Jade, but she had nowhere else to go. Her addiction had alienated all of her family and friends. Jade was all she had and now she was gone. The events of last night replayed in Tori's mind:
Her walking to the gas station on the corner where Jade worked so she could walk her home. Jade withdrawing her whole paycheck off the ATM. Jade calling Andre before they even made it home. Andre coming in and serving them two bundles, all they could afford, telling them it was fire like he always said. Jade not believing him because it looked weird and saying it was probably cut heavily with Benadryl. Jade preparing her shot with half of the dope. She had told her that was way too much, but Jade didn't seem to care. Jade injecting it into her hand. Jade collapsing on the ground, hitting her head. Watching on in horror as Jade seized violently. Jade's lips turning blue. Running to the phone and calling an ambulance. The ambulance taking too long. The paramedics trying to revive her, then taking her away. Running nonstop to the hospital. The doctor telling her Jade was dead on arrival and there was nothing they could do. Demanding they let her see Jade. Becoming hysterical when they wouldn't and getting escorted out by two guards. Walking home in the rain. Flushing the other bundle down the toilet.
She shook her head fiercely, trying to erase the memories, but was unable to. She walked into the little bedroom she had shared with Jade and grabbed a syringe off the dresser, then went into the kitchen and opened the cabinets under the sink. She grabbed a bottle of paint thinner and set it on the table. She poured some into a coffee mug and drew it into her needle. She pulled down her bloody pants and underwear, slamming the needle into her femoral artery. Tori's legs buckled and she fell to the ground, unconscious. She died moments later.