𝗗𝗿𝘂𝗴 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗔.𝗗. 𝟮𝟭𝟰𝟱

𝘣𝘺 𝘛𝘰𝘮 𝘉𝘢𝘭𝘭

Glenda and I, Barry, were visiting the drug store with an open mind. The drug store was for rich people like us, only. New drugs included ones that guaranteed to make you cleverer with minimum risk. We had been meaning to increase our intelligence and paid the stiff price for such drugs. And we were also interested in neo female and male hormones that would give us a perfect body. And we also were intrigued by new drugs which were for those who were alone or lonely which gave good vibes to a lonely persona.

And we wanted to buy some new drugs that made one invulnerable to all known diseases. And guaranteed good health. And there were also drugs that cured new brain diseases that some people were suffering, but we didn’t need those. Glenda opined, “Many people have wasted their intelligence on pleasure drugs when they were mentally ill.” I replied, “Most modern people are suffering from one kind of mental illness or another. There are many kinds of mental illness, as you know!

And we were intrigued by new drugs which caused one to hallucinate about Utopian Worlds. The hallucinations were the reality in such Worlds, and we would see our true dreams the advertising for this drug said.

And there were pure drugs of imagination that would stimulate one to dream graphic imaginative dreams. And we bought some of them.

And there were a new class of drugs which changed your personality to be a type of persona of one’s choice. These drugs seemed to be magical. I wanted to be bolder and more patient. Glenda wanted to be more affable and open-minded. So, we purchased these drugs too!

And we discovered there were drugs for changing one’s genes permanently to be the type of intellect you wanted to be. I said, “What will they think of next?” Glenda said, “The sky’s the limit.” The idea of permanency was appealing. And I wanted to be an original philosopher and Glenda wanted to be a writer of Utopias.

There were also drugs which developed new sexes, but we weren’t interested in them; we didn’t want to be part of the freak show.

Then there were drugs for changing one’s sex. Glenda and I utilized these drugs to help us temporarily change our sex. Glenda played the dominant male, and I played the willing woman. We enjoyed our new sex, but preferred our original sex, so changed back.

Back at the drug store we came upon drugs which compelled one to be honest and seek the truth everywhere. We bought some of them.

And there were drugs which made one’s offspring into imaginative people, designing their brain. Glenda and I wanted to have a child together, so we added these drugs to our cart.

And then there were a series of drugs for anti-sleeping. When taking this drug instead of sleeping one would consciously daydream for a few hours. But these drugs were new and experimental, but available to us in our special drugstore. We had tried them and bought some more.

And there were new anti-fat pills which purportedly worked better than those of the past and now everyone could be exactly the weight they wanted. Of course, some were mentally ill and opted to be obese. I asked Glenda, “Why don’t you put on a few pounds?” She said, “No, I want to be slim!” We both spent a couple hours dining everyday.

And there were new drugs for mental pain and suffering. Like the agony of a nasty break up in a love affair or a falling out with friends or family. Or the pain caused by brain apps, aimed at brain improvement. Or just plain the existential pain of modern life. The latest series of pain drugs claimed on the label that they were truly euphoric and worked on everyone. Glenda and I felt the angst of modern day living and so bought some of these drugs.

Another drug was neo crack. It was a ecstatic feeling, but neo crack was less addictive than ordinary crack. But we didn’t want to buy any more. We had tested it before and found one felt too good.

Then there was a drug, that facilitated mind reading with Mind Reading Technology (MRT). The drug relaxed one and put one in the mood for mind reading. Glenda and I wanted to try the latest drug in the series as mind reading was a bit rough. We would mind read when we made love.

The next drug that caught our eye was antipsychotic. Glenda and I had both had had psycho lovers who we’d like to share such drugs with. And I said, “People often had aural hallucinations after mind reading sessions and some were bi-polar which seemed to be caused by all the uppers and downers. Glenda and I took plenty of uppers and downers but were relatively sane.

Then we examined a drug for Space traveling. It kept one asleep for most of the long voyage. And the drug was aimed at avoiding problems with cabin fever and the sheer length of the voyage. But we weren’t on the list of potential astronauts, but we both thought it was a good drug to help some people get through a difficult life. But our life was simple and easy.

And next we contemplated, Nirvana drugs which would produce an altered state of bliss. We both wanted to experience such an altered state. We both experienced a feeling of peace, without desires or ego. It was certainly different. But we both loved our greedy desires.

Then there were drugs for dealing with new Superhumans. The drugs maximized one’s brain power and gave one a totally open mind. But we were both afraid to talk to Superhumans and felt an inferiority complex. So, we didn’t buy these.

And there were drugs for enhancing one’s ego and making one proud of oneself. They made us feel important. I said, “Better to take these drugs than to deal with Superhumans.” Glenda said, “But there are too many egotists these days. Most people are proud enough as it is.”

Then there were neo steroid drugs for athletes. The trick was one had to appear human in order to compete. But all athletes took steroids. So, it was a battle of chemists and sports was for high brow individuals.

Another drug was laughing drugs. We had tried some and they made one laugh continuously, everything seemed funny. One felt really good afterwards. So, we bought some more. Glenda said, “Sometimes life seems like just a joke!” I said, “Most people are not serious enough. We live in important times, and the survival of our species is at stake. But it is good to laugh once in a while.”

Then another drug, neo liquor which made one drunk and came with a monitor which measured one’s level of drunkenness. The idea was to maintain a perfect state of drunkenness. And the neo liquor didn’t give one a hangover. Glenda and I stocked up on these.

And yet another interesting drug, was a drug which made dull things seem interesting. It was all brain chemistry. And this drug allowed a lot of people the ability to get through the day. I said, “Sometimes one has a lover who is into dull things, and one wants to share their pleasures with them.” Glenda said, “Such drugs open one’s mind and give pleasure.”

Next, we checked out drugs that facilitated partial mind swapping which put one in another’s shoes. The drugs gave one easy access to the best of one another’s minds.

In rare cases, some drugs reacted badly with others, but it wasn’t anything robot doctors couldn’t fix. But most drugs were over the counter and didn’t require a prescription. It was a wild free for all. ✦

---

Tom Ball is the author of the highly creative “Leftforkbooks.com,” a novel. He has had his innovative work published in “Down in the Dirt Magazine,” “Defenestrationism.net,” “Conceit Magazine” and its imprints, “Gargoyle Magazine,” “Spillwords.com/author/tomball,” “Exterminating Angel Press,” “PBW magazine,” and “Fleas on the Dog Online.” His short and flash fiction has also appeared in “AlternateRoute.org,” “Sparrows Trombone,” “TRNSFR/ Sip Cup,” “Lit.201.org,” “Fresh Words Magazine,” “Literary Yard," “Lone Star Magazine,” the now defunct “Local Train Magazine,” the defunct postcardshorts.ca, and others. He has also self-published two novels with now defunct, “American Book Publishing” and another one with “Xlibris.” He’s also co-authored “Of Heaven and Hell,” a graphic novel with Zen Wang. Tom is currently senior editor at “FLEAS ON THE DOG” (fleasonthedog.com).