Scorpio

Euphoria. Noun.

A feeling or state of intense excitement and happiness.

I was euphoric.

I was higher than a kite.

I was living my already damned life.

Clubbing, partying, drinking.

Popping those red pills.

Fast cars, streets littered with shattered glass bottles.

High cliffs, churning waters.

What had I become?

"Test for alcohol levels..."

Christmas Day. December the 25th. Locals found an unconscious and mangled man lying on the street at 5 AM, appearing to have a smile on his face and a box of pills in his right hand. Appears to be overdosed on MDMA and have suffered a detrimental concussion, as well as internal bleeding and heavy fractures. Seems to have been in a car accident.

Molly.

Ecstasy.

Will be further tested at the nearest hospital facility.

"He's only seventeen-must've been at a rager or summat, I reckon."

She was strewn across the floor, her blood staining the tiles. A gunshot, loud and clear. An alcoholic weeping over her dead body.

A bipolar man raising his gun toward his own son's chest, eyes bloodshot and tears staining his face. Blood dripping from his hands, smeared across his threadbare clothes. His insanity reaching a new level as his hand made contact with the trigger.

A seventeen-year-old boy, running as fast and far as he could, trying to save himself from his sister's fate.

A seventeen-year-old boy, fighting for his life and failing his sister.

A seventeen-year-old boy with what felt like the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"Scorpio Costa. Father, Mario Costa. Mother, unknown. Sister, Patricia Costa, found deceased at 8:00 PM, 24th of December. Christmas Eve. Killed by Mario Costa."

He had nowhere to turn. A small part of his brain tugged him toward the one person who had loved him for all he was. The one who saw him for all his flaws. The one who could ease the pain, day by day, month by month, year by year. The one who made him a better man. Made him everything good about himself.

Libra.

But he was gravitating toward it, toward his secret addiction, his hidden fantasy.

His solution.

Euphoria.

Ecstasy.

The fast car, even faster, the needle flying out.

Uncontrollable speed.

Uncontrollable addiction.

Uncontrollable life.

"He's crashing! Get him to ICU!"

Bright lights. Pulsating music. Hundreds-no, thousands-of gyrating bodies moving in sync with the beat. Faces that looked familiar all blurring into the background. The ringing in his ears resuming. The need, the craving, pushing him through, hands reaching for the pills.

Where were they?

He gripped a box, another box, a third box.

An abandoned alley. Distorted faces, distorted voices. The pain overwhelming him, seizing his brain, his body. His body betraying him, him betraying his body. The world falling apart in front of his eyes until he gave in, shoving a handful of the pills down his throat.

A ghostly smile. Shining teeth.

Euphoria.

"1... 2... 3..."

A cigarette in between his fingers, between his lips, rings of smoke clear in the night sky. The world coming to life, colours jumping, painting him a beautiful picture. Every noise intensified, his sense of smell superhuman. His body in overdrive.

A face too far to recognise, a woman running away. Maybe she would be the perfect victim tonight. Someone to entertain his drunken whims, to bandage his wounds, to return him home.

Was home even safe anymore?

She ran, and guilt threatened to break through the ecstasy.

How could he let Libra down like this?

Another handful of pills.

No thoughts.

No memories.

"Alright, he's coming back, folks!"

Smiles. Blood. Death, death, death.

A car race. A bloodied track. Bottles strewn across the track.

An inanimate blonde woman, a piece of glass stabbed through her carotid.

A bottle in his hand, walking across the track like he owned it.

A race, fast cars, speeding right at him.

He was numb. He couldn't feel the pain.

And then he could feel nothing at all.

"We've done everything we can, Miss Cole-he's currently resting. I do understand that he's your boyfriend, so I'll have to ask you a few questions about his current state..."

Euphoria. Noun.

A feeling or state of intense excitement and happiness.