Ink Poisoning

"You're doing the right thing, Eric."

Its was Midnight. Demetra held up a weak Eric as they walked down the dark streets. They had been walking for a few hours. It had been hours because they were walking slowly, stopping so Eric could empty his body of fluids and shake rapidly from not having drugs in his system. Demetra thought he was doing pretty good. They haven't stopped in two whole blocks. But just as she thought that, Eric dropped to his knees and started all over again. She sighed and rubbed his back.

"I don't think i can do it, Demi..." He croaked with his hoarse voice.

"Yes, you can. Get up we're almost there." She grabbed his arm as he started to get up.

They stopped and Eric clutched his stomach. Both his stomach and throat were aching and burning from throwing up when, clearly, he had nothing left. His eyes were red and watery. His shivers were getting worse by the minute. It pained Demetra to see him like this. And it was all because of Kimberly. 'Skank!' Demetra spat out in her head. Eric's cough got her attention and she grabbed his shoulders to look at him.

"Its okay Eric." She give him a soft smile as he looked at her with heavy eyes. "Remember. This is your decision..." She let him go and took a few steps away from him. He swallowed to get pass the stinging dryness of his throat and nodded. He looked up and started walking down a path. Once he reached the door her looked over at Demetra as she stood there. He looked up at the letters on the door that spelled out 'Rehabilitation Center : 24 Hours' Eric sighed and walked inside. Demetra had never been so proud of him.

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Eric sat in a cold dark room. Nothing was really in it. Just a bed, which he was sitting on, it had white sheets on it. A dresser with nothing really in it, a small window that couldn't be opened. And another room which was a bathroom. And that was it. Eric was currently rocking back and forth on the bed. Withdraw was hell for him. He couldn't sleep, he couldn't think, he couldn't even stop moving for the fear of throwing up again. But then once again, he was going to. He hopped off his bed and into the bathroom. He leaned over the toilet and let it all out. The only thing he could think about at that point was Demetra.

She kept to her word. She was there to visit him everyday he's been in Rehab for months now. He felt like he couldn't do any of this without her. But she soon had to stop coming. The Rehab doctor said it was best if he handled the last state of rehabilitating on his own. That way he had motive. To see her again, he had to go all the way and get clean. He was determined to do that but it was so damn hard. He opened his mouth to empty out once again. The door behind him opened and two nurses help him up and into the bed. He started to shake once more. Soon the doctor rush in with a needle in his hand, injecting it in his arm. One of the nurses rubbed his hand until he stopped shaking and fell into a deep sleep. After that, the nurses and doctor left the room.

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~2 Months Later~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

Demetra sat in her tattoo parlor wiping off the excess ink that cover over the arm of a tough looking body builder. She shook her head in disbelief as she handed the man another tissue to dry his tears. He was crying like a baby. She had to stop about 9 times to give him a small break and/or hand him a tissue. He was only getting a tattoo of a tiny skull inside the mouth of a bigger skull. It only took less then an hour to do that.

"See, it wasn't that bad, was it?" She said then greased up the tattoo and patched it up. He didn't answer. He just payed and quickly got out of there. She didn't blame him. Crying over a tattoo and in front of a women. She shook her head and check on all the other workers. She owned the tattoo parlor. She inhered some money and bought her own. Tattoo is all she knew and what she loved...so she thought. Why Not? She sighed and walked back to her stool. It was usually busy because where the tattoo parlor was located so when the front door opened she didn't pay any attention.

"Hi, i need to get a tattoo removed and replaced." She heard a male voice.

"Okay." She said not looking up and bent down to get a tattoo Lazar that removed tattoo. "What's wrong with the old one? Change of heart?" She asked trying to make small talk.

"That's exactly it." He said and sat in the chair.

"What, old girlfriend? Wrong name? Or just an old tattoo and you want something better?" She said preparing the Lazar.

"Old Girlfriend."

"Ouch."

"Its only the initials, though."

"That's Good."

"Plus there someone else I'm in deted to. And i want her initials instead. Those are to stay." He said smiling.

Demetra plugged it in and tested it out. "What initials? And is she your girlfriend now?"

"D.A. And no. But i want her to be. I bet if she sees my tattoo then she'd be putty in my hands."

"That's a little con-" She turned around to see, none other then, Eric. She stood there for who knows how long. She took in his appearance. He was all blond, healthy looking and tan.

"Hello, Demetra Adams. I thought that would get your attention. How have you been?" He smiled.

"Eric... you look...good. Uh, I'm good. And...uh you?" She put the Lazar down and leaned against the counter for support.

"Clean." He simply said. "For months now. You never came back to see me." He pouted. She opened her month but he stopped her by holding up his hand "Its okay. I know you were told not to come anymore... for me. I just missed you is all."

Demetra nodded and smiled. "Well, I'm proud of you, Eric." She cleared her throat and putted up the Lazar again. "So...what initials again?"

"Demi, seriously. Do you want me to walk back out the parlor, came back. and do all of this again?"

"It would help." She said hiding her smile and turned around. Eric laughed, actually getting up and walked out. Only to come back in and receive a passionate kiss from Demetra. Once they pulled away, Eric sighed.

"Wow, I like this version way better." He smiled down at her.

"I'm sorry. Do i know you?" She joked and they both smiled.