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Withdrawin: A Short Story Essay examples

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Salmaan walked into the dimly lit bedroom with a small syringe containing a volume of clear liquid, ready for injection. He laid it next to my father, Aamir, hoping he would agree to take it, and then walked over to the calendar to change the date: April 19th, 2050. He had been one of my father’s most trusted advisors, helping create the largest opium and heroin empire that the world had ever seen. Despite the immense sums of wealth and power that both garnered throughout their decades of smuggling, distributing, and profiting from a substance that ruined their lives, he felt helpless at the sight of his friend succumbing to the unfortunate consequence of those many euphoric nights stemming from the white poison. My father refused the …show more content…

He scrambled for a business card he had kept securely in his left shirt pocket, and quickly wrote down a familiar name and number on the back. After stuffing the piece of paper in my hand, he calmed a bit. My father began, “Irfaan, I gave you everything you needed and could ever want in life, but the one thing I never gave was an honest answer to your question. Son, I am dying today because of a choice I made, or rather, the career I chose.” He went on to describe his lucrative heroin business and its many intricacies ranging from his partners in crime to his remorse for the damage he caused. He also related the story of his childhood in Afghanistan and his father, my grandfather, yet another mystery he never spoke of throughout his life. As he finished, his breathing became shallower and heart rate began to increase until suddenly, it dropped to a feeble pulse. As he took his final breaths, he lowered his gaze in shame and he whispered, “Promise me that you will put an end to the monster I created, once and for all, but in a manner that will not tarnish your name nor your conscience. Promise me. Promise me.” As he closed his eyes, inhaling one last time, I repeated the only words that would form on my trembling lips: I promise. My father let out his final breath and passed away, leaving behind a monster for me to destroy, but also a peaceful smile, reassuring his faith in me and my ability to succeed in my fight against the opium

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