Empyrean Iris Story Collection Vol. 3

Crystal Snow and Ice

Heroine.

He was already an addict by the time he graduated high school, barely managing to scrape by with a D- in most of his classes.

His parents knew, and they did their best.

Thomas didn't blame them, but eventually he got tired of their scrutiny and struck out on his own. For the longest time he was mostly homeless, jumping from job to job and friends house to friend's house sleeping on couches and on floors and in the back seat of cars. He even slept under a bridge once, which he would never have recommended.

At the darkest part of his slump, he was driving for a living and spent most of his time high. He was always on opiates but had to use cocaine to keep himself awake.

He never crashed, thank goodness, but the speedballing had destroyed his body and mind.

Losing his job, he had ended up on the streets again overdosing in a back alley only to be brought back by Narcan and a trip to the emergency room.

That began his slow crawl back to the top.

Thanks to his sister Maya..

No one knew, but she was the one who had dragged him out of that alley. He had relapsed plenty of times sense then, but someone was always there for him one way or another. The last person to come running to his place when he was thinking about falling back in was Adam.

It wasn't something his family talked about much, but he was forever grateful to them.

To think he had come all this way.

In a back alley lying on a pile of trash, to here staring down at Europa, an entire ass planet.

He had been Sober for a year, fought in the Burg war, joined the marines and was assigned to Captain Koslov's ship.

Far away from the drugs.

And feeling better than ever.

Less angry too now that he had adventure, a body that wasn't a wreck, and something to live for.

"Thomas!"

He jerked out of her reverie and turned to look.

Corporal Howser was standing behind him.

The corporal was one of those guys who had been cursed with the sort of face you couldn't fix, and a physique that never quite lost the love handles. Thomas didn't really consider him a friend, but they spent plenty of time together. He thought that Howser was a bit sleezy at times, but all of the marines had their issues, who was he to judge? He was a recovering addict after all.

"Corporal."

Howser put a hand on his shoulder and led him away from the window, "How you feelin today/"

He shrugged, "Pretty good." He had told Howser about his past of course, most people knew. It wasn't something he was ashamed of anymore.

"Good, that's good." The other man pulled him forward into the hallway .

Thomas was growing suspicious, "Is there soemthing you want Howser."

The man looked at him almost as if affronted, "Why would you immediately jump t that conclusion?"

"Prove me wrong."

Howser sighed and held up his hands, "Alright, alright, you got me. I do need your help, but I promise you'll like it."

He raised an eyebrow, "Really?"

"I am reasonably sure. Look Europa station has bit of a gambling pool going on and some card games under the table, nothing that the higher ups don't know about." He said holding up his hands defensively, 'But the pot is getting pretty big right now in one of those games, and I was wondering if maybe you could lend me a few bucks. If you do I'll split the cut 40 60 with you."