Charlie thought the day he was about to quit the band was the hardest day of his life. Not to mention the hardest decision he’d ever had to make.

He was wrong.

But he had made his choice.

Nothing, absolutely nothing, compared to the moment when Locke handed over his drugs and he felt their minimal weight in his hand.

In thirty seconds, he thought about Liam. His big brother. If Liam could do it, so could Charlie. He didn’t even want to start in the first place, but he had. After the first time, it got easier, but then it got harder as he felt his mind become consumed; fixed on his next fix. It was no way to live, that was for sure, but what was done was done.

Feeling the plastic against his shaking fingertips, he swallowed and let go.

And as he let go, he felt something lift off his shoulders. His heart became lighter, and it was like he could breathe again.

Letting go was one of the hardest things, but surviving on this island would prove to be much worse. Charlie could only deal with one thing at a time. It had always been that way.

So he let the plastic baggie drop into the fire where it sizzled and dissolved within moments.

“I’m proud of you, Charlie.”

Words he’d always longed to hear. All his life.

And there they were.

For the first time in a long time, Charlie was proud of himself too.

And that was when letting go became that much easier.

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