Eternal Dose by Mike N. Stevens - HTML preview

Chapter 7

January 30 ,2024



"The heart was made to be broken." — Oscar Wilde

Ethan's apartment was a mess. Empty bottles, discarded food containers, and piles of dirty clothes littered the floor. It had been weeks since he had last taken a pill, and the absence of Liam was driving him to the brink of madness. He hadn't been to work in days, and his family was growing increasingly concerned.

One afternoon, in a rare moment of clarity, Ethan decided to clean up. He couldn't stand the chaos any longer. As he moved the fridge to sweep underneath it, he noticed something small and white on the floor. His heart skipped a beat as he realized what it was—a half pill, forgotten and overlooked.

With trembling hands, Ethan picked up the pill and stared at it. This was his chance to see Liam again, to feel his presence one more time. Without hesitation, he swallowed the pill and lay down on his bed, closing his eyes and waiting for the familiar sensation to wash over him.

As the pill took effect, Ethan felt his body grow heavy, and his mind began to drift. He felt himself slipping into unconsciousness, the world around him fading away.

When he opened his eyes, he found himself back in the dream-like realm. The colors were more vibrant, the air seemed to shimmer with an otherworldly glow. But something was different. Liam was nowhere to be seen.

Ethan's heart raced as he looked around, searching for any sign of Liam. Panic set in as he realized he was alone. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a piece of paper lying on the ground. He picked it up, his hands shaking, and read the note:

"Ethan, my love,

I have moved on. It is time for you to do the same. Please, stop loving me and find a way to live your life. You deserve to be happy.

Liam"

Ethan felt his world shatter. The note slipped from his fingers as he sank to the ground, tears streaming down his face. Liam was gone. Truly gone. The one thing that had kept him going, the hope of seeing Liam again, had been ripped away.

He sat there for what felt like hours, the weight of his grief pressing down on him. The vibrant colors and shimmering air seemed to mock him, a cruel reminder of the happiness he had lost. He didn't know how to move on, how to live without Liam.

When Ethan woke up, he was back in his apartment, lying on the floor. The vibrant colors and shimmering air were gone, replaced by the cold, harsh reality of his grief-stricken world. He looked around, hoping to see Liam, but he was alone.

Ethan's heart ached with the loss of Liam all over again. The note from Liam felt like a final, devastating blow. He wanted to scream, to cry, to rage against the unfairness of it all. But all he could do was sit there, numb and broken.