A Dangerous Habit (standard:drama, 2075 words)
Author: Wildstangtoo	Added: Jul 08 2006	Views/Reads: 3229/2309	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
A young woman gets evicted from her mother's home and falls back in with the wrong crowd.

“Get out of my house, now.  I don't want to see you again.”  Her
mother's words echoed through Diane's head as she sat on the street 
corner.  Everything she owned in the world was stuffed inside a plastic 
trash bag.  Thirty years old and that's all she had to show for her 
life.  She had children, three of them, but they had been taken from 
her and placed in a foster home.  And now, her mother had thrown her 
out of her house.  She had no where to go and no one to turn to for 
help. 

Her life hadn't always been that desperate.  She came from a good
family, her parents weren't rich, and they divorced when she was young, 
but they always provided for her and loved her.  But like so many of 
her generation, drugs had taken control.  Oh, she'd tried to kick the 
habit, even went to rehab twice, but as soon as she was back out on the 
street, she fell in with the same old crowd.  Even now, with no place 
to live, no money, and no transportation, the want of a hit was 
stronger than the desire to break the destructive cycle. 

“Hey, Di, is that you?”  A man called from across the street. 

Diane raised her head from her hands and looked around.  He waved and
she recognized him as one of her running buddies, one of the crowd, and 
someone she knew would have something on him.  She stood and waved 
back. 

“Hey, Pete, what's happening?” 

He weaved his way through the traffic, cars honked as he crossed
mid-street, out of the crosswalk, and ran to Diane. 

“What you been up to?  I haven't seen you in a while.” 

“I been staying with mom, she wouldn't let me get out much.” 

“We heard you got picked up and put in rehab, how was it?” 

“It sucked.  They wouldn't let you do anything.  Made me get up at five
in the morning and go to classes all day.  Couldn't even smoke.” 

“Man, I bet that did suck.  How long were you there?” 

“Six weeks, seemed like six years.” 

Pete laughed and leaned his head next to Diane's ear. 

“I got a hit, you wanna share some?” 

She jerked her head back, looked around, and then shook her head no.  “I
don't want to mess with it anymore.   I've been clean since I got out.” 


“You didn't quit, I know you.  Come on, a little won't do any harm.  We
had some good times together, remember?” 

“Some of it, but mostly I just remember being high.” 

“Why are you sitting here on the corner?” 

She took a deep breath and thought for a moment.  “Uh, I'm waiting for a
friend, she's coming to pick me up.  We, uh, we're, uh, going 
shopping.” 

“Then why's all your stuff in that bag?  Your mother threw you out,
didn't she?  She catch you using?”  He opened the bag and peeked 
inside. 

“Get out of my things.”  Diane slapped his hand away and tied the top of
the plastic together.  “It's none of your business.” 

“Who's coming to pick you up?” 

“It's...uh, Suzy, she'll be here in a few minutes.” 

“Yeah, right, you're lying out your ass.  She's in the hospital.” 



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