But now … things … have changed. Are changing. For the first time in my life, I’ve been deprived of the only real family members I’ve ever had: my tech items. I understand why it’s necessary, of course, after almost being killed by the Huntsmen, and knowing how easily they could track us if we were using phones out here. But that doesn’t make it any easier for me. Even though I can see that I was as hopelessly addicted to technology as you were to heroin, it does little to satiate my cravings for it. I miss my phone, my tablet, my video games and my computer more than I do my parents. And this might sound … well, twisted … but in a way, I’m glad my face is all over the news, that the world thinks I’m a terrorist. It’s a bigger “fuck you” to my parents than almost anything else ever could be. The only thing I’m sad about is that they now think they were right in their condemnation of my involvement with the Environmental Club. But it pales in comparison to the … the dark satisfaction I feel now, knowing that they are drowning in embarrassment and shame on my account. Good. Ah … I’ve, I’ve said too much, I’ve just gone on and on about myself, William … I’m sorry.’
‘No, no, it’s all right lad, it’s all right. I’m sure you had to let it all out and bare your soul to someone. And who better than a fellow addict, someone who understands your pain, yeah?’
‘Y-, yes. Thank you. Still, I, I didn’t mean to say so much. It all just came out. I, um, I only wanted to ask you, when you’re going through the withdrawal process … how long does it last, and how soon is it over? And, um, do you have any tips or tricks on how to get through it? Because I think that’s what I’m going through now. Withdrawal. Not like yours, but it’s bad. It’s really bad. I have … obsessive thoughts … about technology. I’m craving my phone, my computer, my tablet like nothing I’ve ever craved before. I feel like I’m losing my mind, and that’s no exaggeration.’
‘I won’t lie and say it’s easy, because, quite frankly, it’s not,’ William said. ‘It’s difficult, and even though I’ve been through the worst of my withdrawal, it’s still bloody hard, and it’s going to be hard for some time to come. I’ve got to just grit my teeth and try to power through it, like I have a couple of times before. That’s the only way to do it, lad – you have to fight through it. You have to battle through the pain, the sickness, the nausea, all of the physical symptoms that make you wish you were dead … but that’s the easy part. Now, I’m not an expert by any means, but I don’t think that your withdrawal process will involve the kind of physiological hell that mine did, but I imagine that the mental part is just as hard if not worse, and that, Jun, is the real challenge. You have to want to overcome the addiction. You have to want to get clean. You have to want it more than anything, and you have to force yourself to accept that that sweet, beautiful hit that every molecule of your body is craving, that drop of pure heaven that your fucked-up mind is screaming out for, that your drug-addled brain is howling for, saying that it’ll take away all of the sickness, pain and misery … is exactly what’s brought you here, is what’s turned you into a pathetic, burned-out shadow of your former self, is what’s robbed you of everything that was once good, noble, brave and decent about yourself. Aye … you need to force yourself to go against every ounce of your desire, and accept that hard, hard truth. Embrace it, as terrifying as it is, and commit to it with every fibre of willpower and raw grit in your being, and maybe you’ll make it through. That’s the truth of it, lad, that’s the scary bloody truth of it.’
The jaw-clenching, muscle-straining tension seemed to leave Jun’s body, and his bony shoulders slumped forward as his form slackened, almost with defeat, yet a paradoxical gleam of hope shone now in his dark eyes.
‘If you can get through what you got through,’ he murmured, ‘I can get through this.’
‘That’s the spirit lad, that’s the spirit. I can’t give you much more advice than that, but I’ll help you in whatever way I can. I know you’ve got to be feeling pretty alone here, but I’m glad you came and talked to me. Now at least each of us knows that there’s someone here who understands what he’s going through, yeah?’
‘Yes,’ Jun said, a faint echo of a smile creasing his cheeks. ‘Thank you.’
William returned the boy’s smile with a beaming grin of his own; the simple act of helping Jun had done wonders to lift his spirits in this time of darkness.
‘Have you asked Lightning Bird for help?’ he asked. Jun shook his head. ‘Don’t be afraid to do so,’ William continued. ‘He doesn’t only heal physical wounds, you know. His healing skills work wonders on a weary, hurt mind and soul as well. And Njinga, as spiky and abrasive as she comes off as being sometimes, she’s a healer too, in her own way. And Zakaria, well, he can patch up a battle wound
