The False Salvation It wasn't a horror story. Not at first. It started with a single hit—a tiny flame and a swirl of smoke that snapped the world into focus. For the first time in years, the fog lifted. I felt clear. I felt sober. I felt alive. I thought I’d found a miracle—a way to survive the mess of my life. I didn't realize I was falling in love with the very thing that would destroy me. I didn't know I was opening a door to hell; I just thought I’d finally found a way to breathe. It felt like salvation. It was actually a curse.