Eternal Dose by Mike N. Stevens - HTML preview

Chapter 6

January 4 ,2024



"Grief does not change you, Hazel. It reveals you." — John Green

Ethan's obsession with the mysterious pills had reached a fever pitch. The brief reunions with Liam had given him a taste of the happiness he had lost, and he was desperate to experience it again. He couldn't stop thinking about the vibrant colors, the warmth of Liam's touch, and the sound of his laughter. It was as if the pills had become his lifeline, the only thing keeping him from drowning in his grief.

But now, the pills had run out. Ethan had taken the last one the previous night, and the realization that he wouldn't be able to see Liam again sent him into a spiral of despair. He tore through his apartment, searching for any clue about the source of the pills, but there was nothing. No return address, no sender information, nothing to indicate where they had come from. The questions swirled in his mind, but there were no answers.

Days turned into weeks, and Ethan's condition worsened. He stopped going to work, stopped answering calls and messages from friends and family. His apartment became a mess of empty bottles and discarded food containers, a reflection of the chaos inside his mind.

One evening, his sister, Emily, decided to check on him. She hadn't heard from him in days and was growing increasingly worried. She knocked on his door, but there was no answer. She tried calling his phone, but it went straight to voicemail. Panic rising, she used the spare key he had given her and let herself in.

The sight that greeted her was heartbreaking. Ethan was sitting on the floor, surrounded by empty bottles, his eyes red and puffy from crying. His skin was pale and sallow, and he looked like a shadow of his former self.

"Ethan, what are you doing?" Emily asked, her voice trembling with concern.

Ethan looked up at her, his eyes filled with pain and desperation. "I can't do this anymore, Emily. I can't live without him."

Emily's heart ached for her brother. "Ethan, you need help. You can't keep doing this to yourself."

"I don't need help," Ethan snapped, his voice filled with anger. "I need Liam. I need to see him again."

Emily knelt beside him, her eyes filled with tears. "Ethan, Liam is gone. You have to find a way to move on."

"I can't," Ethan whispered, his voice breaking. "I can't live without him."

Emily reached out and took his hand, her grip firm and reassuring. "We'll get through this together, Ethan. But you have to let us help you."

Ethan pulled his hand away, his anger boiling over. "I don't need your help, Emily. I don't need anyone. Just leave me alone."

Emily's eyes filled with tears, but she nodded and stood up. "I'll go, but I'm not giving up on you, Ethan. I'll be here when you're ready."

As she left, Ethan felt a pang of guilt, but it was quickly overshadowed by the crushing weight of his grief. He reached for another bottle, desperate to numb the pain.

The days that followed were a dark and lonely time for Ethan. He isolated himself from everyone, refusing to answer calls or messages. He spent his days drinking and wallowing in his sorrow, unable to find a way out of the darkness.

One night, unable to bear the pain any longer, Ethan made a decision. He couldn't live without Liam, and if he couldn't see him in this world, he would find a way to be with him in the next. He gathered a handful of pills and a bottle of whiskey, determined to end his suffering.

As he swallowed the pills and drank the whiskey, he felt a strange sense of calm wash over him. He lay down on his bed, closing his eyes and waiting for the darkness to take him.

When Ethan woke up, he found himself in a hospital room. The sterile smell of antiseptic filled the air, and the steady beeping of machines echoed in his ears. He felt a dull ache in his chest and a heaviness in his limbs.

He looked around, disoriented, and then he saw him. Liam was standing at the foot of the bed, his eyes filled with anger and sadness.

"Liam?" Ethan whispered, his voice trembling with emotion.

"Why, Ethan?" Liam asked, his voice filled with pain. "Why would you do this?"

Ethan felt tears streaming down his face. "I couldn't live without you, Liam. I needed to see you again."

Liam's expression softened, but his eyes remained filled with sorrow. "Ethan, you can't keep doing this to yourself. You have to find a way to live without me."

"I can't," Ethan sobbed. "I can't live without you."

"You have to," Liam said gently. "You have to find a way to move on. For your sake and for mine."

Ethan shook his head, his heart breaking. "I don't know how."

Liam stepped closer, his eyes filled with love and determination. "You have to try, Ethan. You have to find a way to live. I don't want to lose you again."

Ethan looked into Liam's eyes, his heart aching with the weight of his grief. "I don't want to lose you either."

Liam reached out and took Ethan's hand, his grip firm and reassuring. "We'll always be connected, Ethan. But you have to find a way to live your life. You have to find a way to be happy again."

Ethan nodded, his heart heavy with the weight of his dilemma. He knew that Liam was right, but the thought of moving on, of living without him, was unbearable.

As the dream began to fade, Ethan felt a sense of peace wash over him. He knew that he had to find a way to move forward, to honor Liam's memory by living his life to the fullest.

When Ethan woke up, he was back in the hospital room, surrounded by concerned faces. His family and friends were there, their eyes filled with worry and relief.

"Ethan, you're awake," Emily said, her voice trembling with emotion. "We were so worried about you."

Ethan looked around, his heart heavy with the weight of his grief. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm so sorry."

Emily reached out and took his hand, her grip firm and reassuring. "We'll get through this together, Ethan. You're not alone."

As he lay there, surrounded by the love and support of his family and friends, Ethan felt a glimmer of hope. He knew that the road ahead would be difficult, but he also knew that he had to find a way to move forward. For Liam, and for himself.