A day in the life of ... an addict I was Awake. It was already there, that feeling, that craving. I rose from my dirty stained

Kate had tried to kick her habit, but like most addicts it was without success. It was the only thing in life she could rely on to make her happy. All her life she had felt so lonely, like a piece of her was missing. Kate had lost countless friends and family through her problem. She had spent the last 2 years lying and manipulating her way through life.

Kate was from the rough shady part of london, not that she’d always been living there, in fact it was a far cry from her upbringing. She had a close family; her dad was a doctor and her mum was a lawyer. Although she had a privelaged background, her parents were always so busy with their jobs that she never really got to see them.

I was meeting up with Jake, my dealer, that morning to give me the ‘stuff’. I had about an hour to get ready and be outside the entrance to Queensbury park in London. I stepped into the freezing cold shower and washed my greasy hair. I couldn’t believe it, I was at the point where I was using a bar of soap as shampoo. I got dressed as quickly as I could. I had to look presentable so I didn’t look suspicious, I wore black jeans, a skimpy black top and a slick of red lipstick. I looked more like a prostitute than a heroin addict.

It was raining, I had to use what remained of an umbrella to protect myself and my money. I speedily walked out of my flat onto the pavement, my heel kept getting caught in between the ridges of the cobbled street.  I could tell that it wasn’t going to be an easy day.

Kate moved out of her parents house when she was 18. Once they found out she was taking heroin, they didn’t want to know her and chucked her out onto the streets. Kate was working in a respectable restaurant at the time, her wages didn’t cover the cost of rent, so the phone and gas were soon cut off and she was living on 8p noodles from Tesco. Soon her manager and fellow co-workers also found out she was an addict. It was then discovered that it was here who had been ‘borrowing’ the money from the tills to buy her ‘stuff’. They let Kate go with a payment, they were very understanding yet felt very hurt and betrayed.

Jake was late. My umbrella broke and I was standing in the pouring rain for about 15 minutes before he finally turned up. I was drenched through to my underwear.

There was no one around, me and Jake exchanged glances. he handed me my ‘stuff’ and I handed him his money. I was excited. At last I could have that invigorating feeling again. We said our goodbyes and I ran home.