Injection Ritual

[Captain.Heroin]

Part of the inspirational monotony included the ritual of injecting. Drawing the solution out of the vial, putting the solution into insulin syringes for injection, ripping open the alcohol swab, wiping off the injection site, feeling for the vein, visualizing the vein, inserting the needle through the skin, pulling back for air, pushing the needle into the vein, and watching the plume of blood register that I not only expect but become to know will arrive. The precision and accuracy of this process alone keeps people injecting, even without drugs they will inject water alone. Then comes the administration - pushing the plunger in a swift but not too quick manner, and then carefully removing the needle, re-capping it, and disposing of it in the sharps container. A final step to preserve the quality of the injection site, a cotton ball or a piece of toilet paper is placed over the injection site to absorb the blood. And by this time, you have the effects. I was so inspired by this ritual that I recorded the sounds of various steps of this ritual, and used the sounds to make noise music.

an excerpt from a lengthier novel I am currently writing

 

[ForEverAfter]

Very different, yet very similar, to my ritual. The word monotony threw me a bit. Slamming is never monotonous. It's like jumping out of a plane, even after thirteen years. I get adrenaline from the needle, before I get adrenaline from the meth. I guess, that's the difference. Maybe. Heroin vs. meth. The ritual reflects the drug. Not to say that heroin is monotonous. I've had more experience with morphine. I assume, since you're drawing out of a phial, that it's a non-H opiate that you're slamming. Either way, I still object to the word monotonous. To me, it has negative connotations. But you love the ritual. It's familiar, but not monotonous, perhaps?

I enjoyed reading this, and - if you're at all interested - am more than happy to provide editing advice regarding your novel. What you've provided here is a bit of a tease. I need to feel the character more, get a sense of the world. But the prose, sentence to sentence, is solid.

For what it's worth, I believe that the only thing separating published novelists from unpublished novelists is determination. I know a lot of people - in the hundreds - who have given up after three, or six, or twelve, chapters. I urge you not to join their numbers. Unlike many aspiring writers, you have the potential to be a success. Assuming that the rest of your novel is of a similar standard.

The last sentence is the most intriguing, because it steps away from the ritual and into the world of your character. Though, out of context, it is - as I said - a bit of a cock tease. Are you willing to provide a lengthier excerpt? ... if you don't want to post it, PM it to me and I'll give you some constructive feedback.

(This is not a service I offer to everyone.)

-4EA

 

[Captain.Heroin]

Very different, yet very similar, to my ritual. The word monotony threw me a bit. Slamming is never monotonous. It's like jumping out of a plane, even after thirteen years. I get adrenaline from the needle, before I get adrenaline from the meth. I guess, that's the difference. Maybe. Heroin vs. meth. The ritual reflects the drug. Not to say that heroin is monotonous. I've had more experience with morphine. I assume, since you're drawing out of a phial, that it's a non-H opiate that you're slamming. Either way, I still object to the word monotonous. To me, it has negative connotations. But you love the ritual. It's familiar, but not monotonous, perhaps?

I enjoyed reading this, and - if you're at all interested - am more than happy to provide editing advice regarding your novel. What you've provided here is a bit of a tease. I need to feel the character more, get a sense of the world. But the prose, sentence to sentence, is solid.

For what it's worth, I believe that the only thing separating published novelists from unpublished novelists is determination. I know a lot of people - in the hundreds - who have given up after three, or six, or twelve, chapters. I urge you not to join their numbers. Unlike many aspiring writers, you have the potential to be a success. Assuming that the rest of your novel is of a similar standard.

The last sentence is the most intriguing, because it steps away from the ritual and into the world of your character. Though, out of context, it is - as I said - a bit of a cock tease. Are you willing to provide a lengthier excerpt? ... if you don't want to post it, PM it to me and I'll give you some constructive feedback.

(This is not a service I offer to everyone.)

-4EA

Thanks man. My character was probably using meth. The "monotony" also referred to his work/life cycle as well, which you probably cannot tell as I kind of clipped out only this paragraph for everyone.

I'll probably be able to send you something more.

I'll definitely finish this up, as I have only scraped the surface and have so much more to write.

edit

Right now, I have 38,089 words written.

 

[Raz]

I have not injected, but I relate to the love of the process....I remember back in the day when I actually had a life (lol), racking up lines of speed and snorting them was just as much a love of the ritual as of the drug itself. I could quite happily sit there for ages just cutting it up finer and finer, making perfect straight lines, making sure the lines were all the same size etc...compared to munching pills (or even smoking to an extent) where the process isn't anywhere near as ritualised.

The last sentence really grabbed me a lot more than the preceding paragraph too...I think it adds a genuine character to the writing above and beyond simply describing a process.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

I have not injected, but I relate to the love of the process....I remember back in the day when I actually had a life (lol), racking up lines of speed and snorting them was just as much a love of the ritual as of the drug itself. I could quite happily sit there for ages just cutting it up finer and finer, making perfect straight lines, making sure the lines were all the same size etc...compared to munching pills (or even smoking to an extent) where the process isn't anywhere near as ritualised.

The last sentence really grabbed me a lot more than the preceding paragraph too...I think it adds a genuine character to the writing above and beyond simply describing a process.

Thanks! I'm glad to hear this.

 

[ad lib]

I can't wait to read more!

 

[Captain.Heroin]

Thanks for the positive feedback rx! :D

 

[Bella_Luvs_Blues]

Would be great listening

Part of the inspirational monotony included the ritual of injecting. Drawing the solution out of the vial, putting the solution into insulin syringes for injection, ripping open the alcohol swab, wiping off the injection site, feeling for the vein, visualizing the vein, inserting the needle through the skin, pulling back for air, pushing the needle into the vein, and watching the plume of blood register that I not only expect but become to know will arrive. The precision and accuracy of this process alone keeps people injecting, even without drugs they will inject water alone. Then comes the administration - pushing the plunger in a swift but not too quick manner, and then carefully removing the needle, re-capping it, and disposing of it in the sharps container. A final step to preserve the quality of the injection site, a cotton ball or a piece of toilet paper is placed over the injection site to absorb the blood. And by this time, you have the effects. I was so inspired by this ritual that I recorded the sounds of various steps of this ritual, and used the sounds to make noise music.

an excerpt from a lengthier novel I am currently writing

I can relate to this whole paragraph a lot and agree with the others that I would love to read more and am also intrigued by the last line and would love to hear it (if it were true and existed)
Great writing...I am definitely a fan

 

[Captain.Heroin]

I can relate to this whole paragraph a lot and agree with the others that I would love to read more and am also intrigued by the last line and would love to hear it (if it were true and existed)
Great writing...I am definitely a fan

Thanks Bella

Here's a link to my full length. It's on Sound Cloud for free. I just couldn't upload one track (as it was a copyrighted quote from the ending of my all time favorite movie), and the bonus track (as an incentive to buy the box set).

I appreciate the positive feedback Bella! I'll try to get another quote from my writing to post here.

this was a really good read. seriously one of the coolest things I've seen on this site yet.

I have never injected, but this reminded me very much of my love for the ritual of shaving down opiates...using a very sharp switch blade to carefully make a customized powder. cutting straws to just the right length, or rolling computer paper like a perfect joint for a handmade tube. using only my all-time favorite hip hop albums for CD cases to cut upon, oddly taking reluctant pride in the growing number of blade nicks in the plastic, like rings on a tree. using only hotel room key cards from the trips I loved most, stashing my knife, straw, card and my CD case in completely different but well fitting compartments of my backpack mixed amongst the macbook, headphones, blank CD's, notepads, markers & pens, respectfully, so no earthling could possibly find the entirety of the utensils all at once and formulate assumptions about me. always keep a one day supply hidden in the whip, just in case. and when times are REALLY good, stashing my surplus in the chest pockets of the nicest suit in the cloest, the last place she would ever look.


sorry for the rant haha....this piece inspired me.

I'm glad you could relate! Congratulations on never trying IV drug use. It's very hard to quit in itself.

I enjoyed reading what you had to share though. Before I tried IVing heroin, I had a massive habit with snorting it and was too into the whole process of crushing up rock heroin into lines and snorting it. So thanks for sharing!

 

[Captain.Heroin]

I was all ready for my shot. I inserted the needle into a prominent vein in my forearm, registered, and plunged. I didn't miss a drop. I pulled out the needle, put the cotton on the site, and held down with mild pressure. Suddenly, I felt it - the rush. My entire body tingled, I felt my genitals receive more blood, and I began to have an erection. I felt my heart pounding away. I felt my mind and thoughts accelerating rapidly. Before I could say anything my teeth started grinding. I also had to run to the bathroom - literally - as I was about to shit my pants.
As I have used methamphetamine regularly for a long time in the past, I realize now I cannot use it as regularly as I had been, to continue getting the same effects. So I save it for once in a while experiences. But this type of euphoria was exactly what I needed in the moment.

...

I was unable to do much other than let my mind accelerate rapidly through hundreds of thoughts. I was truly speeding and my mind was running too fast for my mouth to utter many words. After I come down from this rush, I'll get to the motor-mouth phase.

...

I then decided it was time for a shot. I was really craving one, to calm my nerves down. I wouldn't be able to live with myself

...

It was upsetting at best, mortifying at worst.
I drew out some buprenorphine out of the vial with an insulin syringe, and wiped down a choice vein with an alcohol wipe in my arm. I allowed for the isopropanol to dry off, then I went for it. I inserted the needle past the skin, pulled back for air, pushed into the vein and watched the blood register thick into the syringe. I plunged slowly but surely into the vein, and then carefully removed the needle. I then put a piece of toilet paper onto the injection site, recapped the needle, stored it into my sharps disposal container, and laid back on the bed, waiting for the beautiful effects to hit me. I felt nice and fuzzy, my body had a warm glow to it. I felt euphoric in a very uplifting sense. It wasn't too stimulating, but it gave me energy to do whatever I wanted to. I could have worked, had amazing sex, gotten restful sleep, or even meditated very intensely with this kind of high. It was good enough that I started to nod out a little bit, as I laid in bed. Buprenorphine is a one of a kind type of high.
Before I knew it, I heard knocking at my door.