Shadows of Love

He wiped his sweaty hands on his mesh shorts and took a deep breath to calm

himself. If he got caught, it would end his high school football career, cost him a

chance at a college scholarship, and his parents would be pissed. Those factors

were outweighed by the fact that he was a full two tenths of a second slower in the

40 than his backup, and that meant if he didn't pick it up, he'd be riding the bench

this season.

The glass doors were looming in front of him as he approached the dealer. His

hands left sweaty imprints as he pushed the doors open and tried to casually walk

inside. His heart pounded as if it were up to him to make the last-second play to

win the big game. He smiled to those he knew, which, thanks to being such a small

town, was practically everyone. Did they all know what he was about to do?

The locker room was just ahead of him now. This was it. He put his hand in his

pocket and felt for the cash he'd stolen out of his mom's and dad's wallets over the

last couple of weeks. He'd had to empty his piggy bank and save up his allowances

for a month, but if this worked, it would be worth it. He'd be faster, stronger, and

maybe even Mr. Football in Kentucky. A scholarship to a Division I school would

make everything perfect. Even his parents couldn't get mad about taking a couple

hundred from them if he was going to be on ESPN every Saturday.

"Hey, man."

"What's up?"

"You got the five hundred?"

"Yup."

He pulled out the cash and handed it to him. His eyes darted around the

momentarily empty locker room. Someone could walk in at any minute, but his

dealer was as calm as could be counting out the cash. Shouldn't he hurry and give

him the stuff before the police barged in?

"Here you go kid. Ten cc's three times a week." He caught the small, black duffle

bag and nodded his head toward his dealer before he walked as fast as he could out

of there.

He managed to get home before his parents got back from work, but his little

sister was already home and would be a problem. If only he had a lock on the door.

He moved his desk chair over to his door and shoved it under the doorknob. It

would have to work. If Cindy knew he was home, she'd come running in, wanting

to play or talk about the gossip going on in cheerleading camp. God, little sisters

were a trial.

He placed the duffle on his bed and slowly unzipped it. Inside were a handful of

diabetic syringes and a small glass bottle with a black rubber stopper. Pulling off

the orange cap on the needle, he slowly poked it through the rubber stopper and

measured out ten cc's. He dropped the bottle back into the bag and pulled down his

shorts. He heard the garage door open and knew his parents were home. He had to

hurry. Would he feel stronger by tomorrow? Would he be like Spiderman? He

envisioned himself as the best football player in the country, shredding defenses

and scoring every time the ball was in his hands. He'd be a hero.

He grabbed the skin at his waist between his thumb and middle finger. This was it.

The needle met resistance as he pressed it against his skin. It pricked, and he

winced as he pushed it through his skin. His thumb pushed the plunger down, and

he watched the drug that would change his life enter his body.

"Honey! Dinner!"

"Coming, Mom."