Chapter
7
For the next
week, Brian took double the prescribed amount of opium, and it helped his pain
fade away much more efficiently. He could get around much easier without his
ribs aching and his leg throbbing.
But after a
week, the pain returned. So, Brian started taking five pills instead of four.
That helped the pain subside.
But it didn't
last. Soon, he was taking six pills every morning. After awhile, he began to
realize that six pills all at one time was a lot. So, he split up the dose,
taking three pills in the morning and three in the evening, which eventually
progressed into four pills, twice a day.
***
One afternoon,
he had Nick come over to play video games with him. Leighanne wouldn't be back
for a few more weeks, and he was getting bored hanging around the house by
himself.
Nick stayed
over all afternoon, and Brian invited him to stay for dinner, as well.
The two of
them ordered pizza. While they waited for it to be delivered, Brian's leg began
to ache, and he realized it was time for his medicine. He hobbled out to the
kitchen and shook four pills into his hand.
"Jeez,
that's a lot of pills," Nick said, coming up behind him. "How many
times a day do you have to take all that?"
"Twice a
day," Brian replied, shoving the pills in his mouth and swallowing them
down with water.
"That
must suck," Nick said. "That's a lot of pills to take."
Brian
shrugged. "It helps for the pain," he said. Nick just stared at him.
A few minutes
later, the pizza arrived, and Nick forgot all about Brian's medicine and began
to eat.
***
