2001

-

Duke was behind the local Dive nursing a cigarette and a bottle of cheap whiskey. The ash tray was over flowing and his chain-smoking put a quick end to his last pack of Malboro Blacks as he sucked them to the filter in what must have been record time.

The burn of the smoke and alcohol was his own form of self harm, killing himself slowly enough to enjoy the buzz but quick enough for a close end. His work should take care of him well before the cancer or liver failure though.

After a while the pack was empty as the bottle and the buzz wasn't enough to leech the pain from his wounded heart. His old addiction started clawing at him, begging for one more taste of an old friend. He new exactly where to find some to, old friends and all.

Duke dragged himself to his feet, the whiskey hit him hard and he started to sway with every step. After a moment or two of tripping over himself Duke managed to get to his rusty old Chevy without falling on his face.

Before he new it he was on the road, weaving through one side of the yellow line to the other. His destination was an apartment building that was once a motel, it still had the old neon side by the road that read "Pink Flamingo Hotel" in dirty pink glass. Even in its prime, the motel was a hotbed of hookers and heroine.

Sirens rang behind him.

"Fuck fuck fuck fuck!" There was a kilo of coke under the back seat and Duke did not have time nor the patience for prison.

He put the petal to the metal and swerved into the nearest corn field, switching off his headlights in the process.

"Not tonight deputy dick-weed!" He slurred, with an choked laugh as he swerved onto a better homes and gardens lawn. The tires ripping through the blue ribbon begonias.

The officer was left back by the road, radioing for help detaining some drunk bastard that swearved right back onto the road after tearing up a yard and his front bumper.

Jason was used to this, it was a common problem in Bakersville, this man was no diffrent from the other drunken bastards who missed the good ol' days and drowned their sorry lives in whiskey before swerving home in the same car their daddy gave them senior year to a high school sweetheart that got fat and picked up a drug habit.

They all had a death wish and they where all damn cowards.

Duke was put into custody after totalling his truck by swirving into the Jefferson's maple tree and assulting officer King, forcing the officer to use his taser.

-

"Fuck me." A pounding headache rendered the behemoth practically useless. Duke tried to lift his head but let it simply fall back onto the metal bench after the muscles in his neck refused to allow the movement, letting the hard hit rumble through his skull.

"Can I get some water?!" He yelled from his holding cell. The call landed on deaf ears.