Day Seventy-five

Today's words:
Drug
Bar
News
Be;t
Curtain
Drum

I've seen what that drug
Can do to people. Usually it starts in a bar -
No news
There - and then they're tightening their belt
Around their arm, to hide behind the curtain
Of a heroin haze, punctuated only by the drum

Beat of their own pulse. That sound of a drum,
Punching through the effects of the drug,
Tearing back the curtain,
Woke him up in a seedy bar
With no memory of how he got there, or what had become of his belt.
He looked up at the TV. On the news

They were saying there is a new strain on the streets. The news
Is it's more powerful than previous ones, and goes by the name "Drum"
Because of the sound people hear. He downed a belt
Of whiskey, coming out of the drug-
Induced haze, taking in the seediness of the bar,
Including the filthy curtain

Over the window. He went to the window and drew back the curtain.
The news
Crew was right outside. Apparently this was the bar
Where the whole "Drum"
Epidemic had begun. So who gave him this drug?
He looked down, and saw his belt

On the floor. He picked up the belt,
Releasing the curtain.
He still wondered who'd given him the drug,
But was glad he hadn't made the news
As a "Drum"
Casualty. he went back to the bar

And sat down. A man at the other end of the bar
Was eyeing him and his belt.
Was this the "Drum"
Dealer? On the other side of the curtain
The news
Crew was packing up. Today's drug

Story was over. He sipped his drink, hiding behind the curtain
Of liquor. He ordered another belt and looked away from the news.
The drum beat had stopped once his system had eliminated the drug.