Highs and Lows The first taste, a spark, a flame in my veins, a rush of warmth that melts all the chains, it fills every hollow, it drowns out the ache, this fleeting escape, the thrill that I take. For a moment, I’m weightless, like I’m finally free, the world fades away - it’s only me. But the high doesn’t linger, it slips through my hands, like sand in an hourglass, no time to stand. And then comes the drop, like a plunge into black, no way forward, no turning back. The euphoria’s gone, and the hollow remains, echoing louder with whispers of shame. I tell myself lies, promises worn, that I’ll quit tomorrow, I’ll be reborn. But the taste still lingers, the fire still calls, and I stumble again, ignoring the falls. I see the hurt in their eyes, the distance I make, loved ones drifting like leaves in my wake. Yet still I chase that feeling I crave, digging my heart deeper into its grave. For just one more high to drown out the pain, I’d give it all up, again and again.