Khing

A WIZARD, A STREET PERSON, A GIRL, A SPELL AND AN INVADING ARMY "Mr. Ash..." began the labcoat. "This story of yours is fascinating! I think it offers great insights into addiction. Does alcoholism run in your family?" "My granddad died in the gutter, they say," Ash said. "Also, another good definition is continued use in the face of adversity. Any DUIs in your past, after which you still drank?" "Two," said Ash. "Have you ever sworn off booze forever, only to go back in a week, a day or even an hour?" asked the coat. "Yes," said Ash. "Another is personality change, Bob's different when he drinks, you certainly have that, correct? You not only are different, but you change worlds, you even change beings, correct?" "No. There's just a connection." "Another is the presence of a strong sense of denial. All I'm doing is having a good time, they say, and that is after the person consumes an entire bottle of alcohol and blacks out," the labcoat said. "All are good definitions of alcholism or addiction." "Can I get more meds?" "But this story of yours, which I want you to continue, in its entirety, seems to explain another side of addiction," said the coat. "This story draws the listener a different picture. It draws a picture of addiction as it pertains to the soul, as it pertains to our mortal, unfed, hungry, powerless soul, that the world today fails to satiate. This story tries to explain addiction as it resides in the heart. Would you agree with that, Mr. Ash?" Ash just sighed. "Mr. Ash?" The coat pulled out a pad and began to scribble. "I'll tell you what. I'll give you the medication, but in return, you come every day and tell me more of the story, the whole thing-everything, the parts where you are here, in the machine's land, and here, in the magic's world. You tell me about the wizard, the war and the princess. You tell me about your alter ego, the other you, the one with the thirst for blood there in the land of knights. Okay? Deal? asked the coat. "Deal," Ash said.