Elizabeth's Apartment
Elizabeth awoke sometime in the early morning. She had little more than two hours sleep and was still drained from yesterday. Just the day before she walked home from university, spent much of the day without her tablets and was being blackmailed throughout. Speaking of which. Elizabeth reached to her night dresser and groped around for the packet of pills. This time she took three.
She sat up in her bed and swung her legs over the side. Elizabeth just knew that today would be tiring. She took a fourth pill before placing the packet back onto the night dresser. She stood up and stretched. Tired, too tired. Elizabeth made her way to her tiny wardrobe (Like, you have no idea how small this wardrobe is). Looking through her clothes she decided to wear simple clothes: A pair of black skinny jeans, a white top and a black cardigan.
She left her bedroom to enter the small living room. Her phone was left on the arm of the armchair, where she picked it up from. She scrolled through all of the messages that she had missed. One text had come from her parents, asking where in Massachusetts she lived so that they could visit next month. She still hadn't told them that she had left Harvard. The next text came from her dealer, something about being watched by the police and having to stop selling for some time. Elizabeth knew that she could still get weak stuff from the chemist but she would need a stronger fix sooner or later. She was about ready to set her phone down. Until she saw the latest text from S.S.
Aw, you're such an obedient little pill popper!
Well then, my dear, today I want you to embrace your musical side and burst into song either in class (if you're one of those losers who go to school on the weekends) or in a library.
Do this by 12:00 PM or you'll lose your spot as my fave!
Kisses!
S.S
Elizabeth had known since she had woken up that this day would be tiring. Though this didn't really put her out: Soon enough she would of been going the library to revise anyway, if she could work up the energy. Now she would definetly be going. She dropped her phone back down onto the armchair. Likely this a power play from S.S, such a pointless request was meant to prove to Elizabeth that he could get her to do anything that he wanted. But only for so long.
Whilst rubbing the last sleep from her eyes she went to the small kitchen. She took a glass from the cupboard and water from the sink. Gulped it down. Why did she always have such a dry mouth after taking the pills? Elizabeth put the glass into the sink and left the kitchen. Like most mornings; she was not eating breakfast today.
With a quick return to her bedroom Elizabeth reclaimed her bag and laptop. She put one inside the other before head to the door. After a quick glance back she noticed that she had left her phone. She went back for it. The screen still showed the latest text from S.S. Her chest felt tight, every time he messaged her she felt wrong. Like someone had taken a tight grip of her lungs and refused to let go. Elizabeth could do with another hit, they weren't working the same anymore. So she went back to her bedroom
In her bedroom Elizabeth found the packet of tablets on her night dresser. She placed them into the front compartment of her bag. Then in the first drawer she found her bag of white powder. It hit harder and faster. Though it didn't last as long. She made two lines out on top of her night dresser, practice and repetition had made her adept at drawing it out. She railed it into two lines of thirty milligrams. Elizabeth that if she wanted even better hit she could clean it up with acetone. Next she produced a straw from the drawer. With the straw she inhaled the little white powder one line at a time.
Done. She took the straw and bag of powder with her as she left her bedroom. Whilst crossing the living room she put both into the front compartment of her bag. After this she left the apartment. Even as she locked the door she could feel the buzz kicking in.
Wool Bridge Public Library
Elizabeth arrived at the library a little while before noon. With a quick flash of her student card she was let into the library.
"Remember to be quite," said the librarian as Elizabeth passed by. "And no listening to music whilst your're here, please." The librarian was an elderly woman, topped with a crown of white hair and adorned with a pair of red glasses.
Elizabeth just nodded and smiled. The latest marching orders from S.S meant she would be making a lot of noise and would be using music to do it. She paced through the library's first floor. There were a lot of people, some looked at her as she passed by. Did any of them know? Could they tell that she was using? Elizabeth shook her head, trying to dislodge the concern.
She found the spiraling staircase that lead to the second floor. She climbed each step with enthusiasm. Elizabeth was almost looking forward to this. t had been too long since she had done something fun, instead her studying and her mess of a life and just taken away all of her free time. Unconsciously her hand went to the front compartment, after the packet of pills, whilst the other hand steadied herself on the banister. The late-teen took out the packet and quickly popped one before reaching the top of the stairs.
Emerging onto the second floor she found it to be mostly empty. Whilst this was better Elizabeth still felt a little disappointed. No matter. She made her way across the room to one of the few tables without a computer mounted upon it. From her bag she took her laptop, placed i onto the table, next taking her charger out of the bag, she looked around for place to plug it into. Nearby was a socket on the wall. She navigated around the table that blocked her way and approached the socket. Plug. In. Power! Her laptop was now charging. A boy only a few years younger than her, sat at one of the library computers, watched Elizabeth as she went about her business.
When Elizabeth noticed the boy watching she winked. At him. She hoped to put on a good show for the small number of people in her audience. Without hesitating Elizabeth returned to her laptop and turned it on. First she encountered the log-on screen. Password (which was password). Enter. She logged on and came to the desktop. Her wallpaper was set to the cover art of Metallica's The Black Album. A variety of icons dotted her desktop and she moved to the cursor to a little, blue circle: iTunes. She loaded it up. Her vast collection of songs was already in alphabetical order and what she wanted was near the top.
Elizabeth selected her favorite song clicked play before climbing up onto the table. First came in the guitar and rums. She played air guitar whilst waiting for the lyrics to start:
"Back in black I hit the sack
I been too long I'm glad to be back
Yes I am
Let loose from the noose
That's kept me hanging about
I keep looking at the sky cause it's gettin' me high
Forget the hearse cause I'll never die
I got nine lives cat's eyes
Using every one of them and runnin' wild
Cause I'm back
Yes I'm back well I'm back
Yes I'm back
Well I'm back back
Well I'm back in black
Yes I'm back in black
Back in the back of a Cadillac
Number one with a bullet I'm a power pack
Yes I am
In a bang with the gang
They gotta catch me if they want me to hang
Cause I'm back on the track and I'm beatin' the flack
Nobody's gonna get me on another rap
So look at me now I'm just makin' my play
Don't try to push your luck just get out of my way
Cause I'm back
Yes I'm back
Well I'm back
Yes I'm back
Well I'm back back
Well I'm back in black
Yes I'm back in black
Well I'm back yes I'm back
Well I'm back yes I'm back
Well I'm back back
Well I'm back in black
Yes I'm back in black
Ho yeah
Oh yeah
Yes I am
Oh yeah, yeah oh yeah
Back in now
Well I'm back, I'm back
Back,
Back,
Back,
Back,
Back
Back in black
Yes I'm back in black
Outta sight"
Her voice was high pitched, and off-pitch for that matter, as she sang each word in a mocking tone. Elizabeth played the air guitar right up into the very end. When it was over she slumped down on the table, exhausted. No doubt the librarian would arrive soon to see what all of the noised was about. After the last guitar rift had faded iTunes proceeded to the next song in the album. Elizabeth stood back up and went to singing again:
"Livin' easy
Lovin' free
Season ticket on a one way ride
Askin' nothin'
Leave me be
Takin' everythin' in my stride
Don't need reason
Don't need rhyme
Ain't nothin' that I'd rather do
Goin' down
Party time
My friends are gonna be there too
I'm on the highway to hell
On the highway to hell
Highway to hell
I'm on the highway to hell
No stop signs
Speed limit
Nobody's gonna slow me down
Like a wheel
Gonna spin it
Nobody's gonna mess me around
Hey satan
Payin' my dues
Playin' in a rockin' band
Hey mumma
Look at me
I'm on the way to the promised land
I'm on the highway to hell
Highway to hell
I'm on the highway to hell
Highway to hell
Don't stop me
I'm on the highway to hell
On the highway to hell
Highway to hell
I'm on the highway to hell
I'm on the highway to hell
Highway to hell
Highway to hell
And I'm goin' down
All the way
I'm on the highway to hell"
Yet again she played air guitar. Elizabeth was loving this! She played and sang all through the entire song in her same high pitched voice. When Elizabeth was finished the few people in the room all stood up. For a moment Elizabeth thought that she was in serious trouble. But then they started clapping and cheering.
"Encore!" shouted out the boy from earlier. "Encore! Encore Encore!"
Soon enough all of the by-standers were cheering it. Elizabeth smiled as the next song on the album started playing. She stood right back up and was at the ready. First game the guitar and she fingered invisible threads.
"Thunder, thunder, thunder, thunder."
The watchers shouted this part with her.
"I was caught
In the middle of a railroad track
I looked round
And I knew there was no turning back
My mind raced
And I thought what could I do
And I knew
There was no help, no help from you
Sound of the drums
Beating in my heart
The thunder of guns
Tore me apart
You've been
Thunderstruck
Rode down the highway
Broke the limit, we hit the town
Went through to Texas, yeah Texas, and we had some fun
We met some girls
Some dancers who gave a good time
Broke all the rules
Played all the fools
Yeah yeah they, they, they blew our minds
And I was shaking at the knees
Could I come again please
Yeah them ladies were too kind
You've been
Thunderstruck
I was shaking at the knees
Could I come again please
Thunderstruck, Thunderstruck, Thunderstruck, Thunderstruck
It's alright, we're doin' fine
It's alright, we're doin' fine, fine, fine
Thunderstruck, yeah, yeah, yeah
Thunderstruck, Thunderstruck
Thunderstruck, baby, baby
Thunderstruck, you've been Thunderstruck
Thunderstruck, Thunderstruck
You've been Thunderstruck"
As the song ended so too did Elizabeth's strength to carry on. She climbed down from the table and stopped iTunes before it could play the next track. Elizabeth sighed. High Voltage was supposed to be next, it would of been a good song or her small audience. Eventually the librarian came up the stars.
"What was all of that noise?" asked the librarian.
"Noise?" I didn't hear anything," answered Elizabeth. She looked around the room. "Did anyone else hear anything?" The people in the room all shook their heads and denied having heard anything. Elizabeth smiled. "See. Must be your imagination, or whatever it is that you've been taking."
"I haven't been taking anything!" exclaimed the librarian. "That's enough, young lady. Leave now."
Elizabeth subsequently packed away her laptop and began making her way out. As she descended the stairs she popped two more pills. At the entrance of the library, as she left, Elizabeth took two more. Her little concert had tired her out and the powder was wearing off fast.
Once outside she began typing out another text.
Did as you asked. Send. And noon was fast approaching, well within her allotted amount of time.
Elizabeth reached into her bag, again, and pulled out the little packet of pills. She took two more. Normally she would be worried, if not paranoid, that she was taking too many but after that gig she felt as though she deserved a reward. Now it was time to go home.