The Death Drug (14)

In a dimly lit, suffocating room, a young man, barely 20, lay on a filthy mattress. His eyes, bloodshot and wild, darted around as his body convulsed violently. He scratched at his skin with jagged nails, ripping into the flesh of his arms.

His veins bulged, glowing an unnatural crimson, his teeth gnawing at his own arm as though trying to rip the very addiction from his bones. His face was a twisted mask of agony, desperation, and the ravenous hunger for something he couldn't grasp. His entire body burned as if it were on fire from the inside.

Gasping, he tried to stand, but his legs gave out, sending him crashing to the ground. His breath came in ragged, frantic gasps as he screamed hoarsely, "I need it! I need the drug!"

His eyes darted around the squalid room, his mind a tornado of pain and obsession. He rolled on the floor, gripping his head in frustration. Suddenly, a baby's wail pierced the oppressive silence, coming from the room next door.

"That fucking kid!" he snarled, rage flooding his veins as he stumbled to his feet, legs trembling. "Why can't he shut up?"

His hands clenched into fists, he staggered towards the adjacent room. His movements were slow, clumsy, his vision swimming in and out of focus. He pushed the door open with a violent shove, his bloodshot eyes landing on the small, innocent figure lying in the bed. The baby, barely a year old, had soiled himself, pee soaking the bed.

"Shut the fuck up!" he roared, his voice raw and venomous, slamming the door shut behind him with a brutal kick that rattled the frame.

As he stood there, his vision blurring further, his entire body weakened, collapsing to his knees. His stomach heaved, and blood spilled from his mouth, a sickening, dark crimson that stained the floor beneath him. His body convulsed violently as his world began to fade in and out of consciousness.

Through the haze, he saw shadowy figures—hooded men slipping into the room like specters of death.

Weakly, he rasped, "Who... who are you? Are you here to take me? Is this the end?"

One of the hooded figures, the one leading them, stepped forward. "No, we're here to save you."

"Save me? Please... I beg you... give me the drug. Give me Darso!" the man begged, his voice breaking, his hands trembling as he reached out in desperation.

The hooded leader's voice was cold, calculating. "Yes, we can give you Darso. An endless supply. But it comes at a cost."

"Anything... I'll do anything!" the young man pleaded, his eyes widening with manic hope.

"You'll have to earn it. We need a soul," said one of the other hooded men, his voice chillingly calm.

"A soul?" the young man repeated, his breath shallow.

"A life for a life. You give us what we ask, and Darso will be yours. Unlimited. Forever," the leader explained.

"What do you mean?" the young man asked, fear creeping into his tone, though his body still trembled with the need for the drug.

"The child in the other room," the second hooded man said coldly. "Your brother. Kill him, and you'll pass the test. Then, Darso will be yours."

The young man's eyes widened in horror. "But... that's my brother!"

"Do you think life has meaning when you're about to die? Do you really care for the life of another when your own is slipping away?" the leader said icily. "Sacrifice is the ultimate test. Kill your brother, or you will die. The choice is yours."

As the hooded men began to turn away, the young man's panic spiked. His mind raced, torn between fear, loyalty, and the unbearable thirst for Darso. "Wait!" he shouted, forcing himself to stand on shaking legs. "I'll do it! I agree!"

A sinister smile spread across the second hooded man's face. "Good boy."

With his body weak and his vision barely holding together, the young man stumbled towards the room where the child lay. His breath came in shallow, desperate gasps as he pushed open the door. The child, unaware of the darkness looming over him, slept soundly in the stained bed.

One of the hooded men approached, handing the young man a cold, gleaming dagger. "Do what you must."

The young man gripped the blade, his hand trembling violently as he approached the bed. His heart pounded in his chest, each beat echoing in his ears. With blurry vision and unsteady hands, he raised the dagger, staring at the innocent, helpless child.

In one brutal motion, he brought the dagger down. The blade sank into the small body, the sickening sound of flesh tearing filling the room. Blood spattered across the bed, across the walls, across his shaking hands. The child's cries were silenced almost instantly. The man, blinded by addiction and desperation, continued to stab—again and again—long after the life had drained from his brother's body.

Laughter filled the room. The hooded men watched with twisted glee as the young man collapsed to the ground, his hands and face smeared with the blood of his own brother.

The leader knelt beside him, placing a hand on his face. "You've done well."

"Give me... give me the Darso..." the young man gasped, his body convulsing in pain and horror.

The hooded man pulled out a small vial of green powder, the drug he craved so desperately. With a wicked grin, he fed it to the young man.

As the drug hit his system, the young man felt the euphoria surge through him, dulling the guilt, the pain, and the horror of what he had done. But deep inside, a part of him knew there was no coming back. Not from this.

Meanwhile, Faria strolled along the pathway beside her university, her thoughts drifting as she walked. Suddenly, a voice called out from her side.

"Hey."

She turned her head, seeing a young guy she didn't recognize. His curly brown hair framed an unfamiliar face.

"Are you a first-year? Finance student?" the guy asked.

"Yes," Faria responded, her tone neutral.

"Hi, I'm Rahul. Also from the first year, finance department."

Faria raised an eyebrow. "And? What does that have to do with me?"

Rahul chuckled nervously. "Well, to be honest, I was wondering if we could be friends. You know, if you don't mind."

Faria narrowed her eyes. "I don't know you, and frankly, I'm not interested. If you've got something important to say, go ahead. Otherwise, I'd rather not waste my time."

Rahul, not giving up, smiled awkwardly. "Could I at least get your social media? We're creating a group with all the first-year finance students, just to keep in touch."

"Sorry, I'm fine without it," Faria replied, her pace quickening.

As she walked away, she noticed a few guys in the distance watching them, one of them motioning toward Rahul. The subtle encouragement made her roll her eyes internally.

"Wait, are you in a hurry?" Rahul called after her, his voice growing more insistent.

Faria didn't respond. She didn't owe him anything.

Rahul, clearly desperate, tried a different approach. "Look, to be honest, I think you're really beautiful. Maybe we could go out sometime?"

Faria sighed. "As expected," she thought, still choosing not to reply.

"No answer? Maybe that's a yes," Rahul said, grinning.

Faria stopped abruptly, turning to face him. "I'm not interested. I have a boyfriend, so stop with this nonsense."

Rahul's expression darkened, and without warning, he grabbed her wrist. "Come on, you could break up with him and be with me. I'm rich. I can give you whatever you want."

Faria's patience snapped. In one fluid motion, she twisted his arm, slamming him to the ground with a hard thud. His grip on her was released immediately.

"Stay away from me," she warned, her voice cold, her eyes glaring down at him.

At Tamim's House

Tamim was engrossed in a video game on the sofa , the soft glow from the TV monitor illuminating his face. Sitting next to him, the boy wearing a jacket mashed the buttons on his gamepad, both focused on the fighting game unfolding on the screen.

"No matter how pro you are at other games, you'll never beat me in Godly Fight Sim," the kid said smugly.

"I never play this game," Tamim replied, his tone flat. "Besides, ever since you got here, all you've done is play games. You're supposed to be helping me."

"Booyah!" the kid exclaimed as his character won again, marking his twelfth victory in a row. "See that? Twelve times in a row. Admit it, I'm the best."

Tamim raised an eyebrow. "You didn't answer my question."

"Huh? What were you saying?" The kid glanced at him, still riding high on his win.

"I said you're supposed to be helping me," Tamim repeated.

"Oh, right. Well, I will… but only if you admit that my previous help was super useful. Remember when I rewound everything for you?"

Tamim sighed. "Alright, fine. After I got my powers, you came out of nowhere. You saw me using them through the window and then taught me how to control them. I mastered everything thanks to you. Happy?"

The kid grinned. "Yup, and I recorded it. Wanna know why?"

"Why?" Tamim asked, half-expecting some ridiculous answer.

"Because when you become a big superhero, I'm going to show that video to everyone and prove I was your mentor. I'm moving to another city in ten days, so I won't see you after that. Gotta make sure everyone knows the truth."

"Thank god. Glad to know you're leaving," Tamim said with a smirk.

The kid huffed, feigning offense. "If you think I'm a burden, you're wrong. I'm your ally, whether you believe it or not."

"You're more annoying than anything," Tamim replied, rolling his eyes.

"That's rude," the kid shot back, before shifting the conversation. "But seriously, after studying your powers, I've realized something. Your abilities have both a biological and spiritual element. You're getting stronger all the time without needing to train, but after a fight, you get even stronger. So it's effective through battle."

"I'm not interested in training. I don't have the time. I can't even hit the gym anymore," Tamim replied.

The kid nodded thoughtfully. "Then you need to understand your core. Everything is made of energy, and your power seems to grow from nothing. I think it's because of your internal energy source, which comes from your core. You should meditate to strengthen the connection between your core and your soul. It'll enhance your spiritual power."

Tamim said, considering it for a moment"Meditation, huh?"

To be continued…