Smoke And Mirrors, Part 27

This fictional story contains adult themes and descriptions. If such offends
you, read no further.  All persons and situations depicted are fictional, any
similarities to real persons or events is purely coincidental. All rights
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Smoke & Mirrors
Part 27: The Point of No Return:

Suzanne second carton lasted two weeks. As exams came and the pressure of
school increased, she smoked more and more. She continued with the VS120's
luxury lights. She started to count the number of cigarettes that she smoked
each day in an effort to curb her urge to smoke. By the third carton, and the
sixth week she had uncontrollably slowly worked up to nearly a pack a day.
Her drags were now always deep and her holds were longer. She was trying to
get as much nicotine has she could. She had become totally addicted. She knew
it, but she didn't care. She was doing what she wanted. Her mother would not
control her life.

Every time she went out with Phil she smoked nearly a half a pack in only a
few hours. The sex had become frequent, and she knew Phil liked to see her
smoke. She never disappointed him, and nearly smoked constantly when she was
with him. He was always lighting up and she had no choice but to join him.
When she went out with Jill and Paula, she now lit up whenever they did.
Again, it was not a conscious act, simply something she did. She knew she was
now smoking too much. But when the exams came along, the only thing that kept
her going was a cigarette every 30 minutes or so. One night she pulled an
all-nighter, she smoked nearly two packs in a 24-hour period. Her lungs hurt
that time and she had developed a slight cough. She always smoked at least
three cigarettes each morning to get her started. It had now taken her over
almost completely. She felt sort of helpless and out of control, as she
allowed herself to smoke more and more. Jill had been on the sidelines,
letting Suzanne's habit grow on its own. She knew that she had given her a
good start and that the nicotine would do its job as it always had. She could
now see that the time between Suzanne's cigarettes was becoming shorter and
shorter and she was smoking more and more. It was now time to take Suzanne to
the final level.

It was now only two weeks before Suzanne would go home for Thanksgiving. She
knew there would probably be a conflict with her mother when she got home.
She wanted to guarantee that Suzanne would be fully committed with no chance
of quitting. It was time to make her move.

Suzanne had now been smoking for nearly eight weeks. Jill started the rest of
her plan. Instead of purchasing one carton of VS 100's full flavor she bought
two. That Monday evening at about 9:00 PM, Suzanne casually remarked that she
was nearly out of cigarettes, and did she want Suzanne to pick up a carton
for Jill too.


Jill casually said, "Oh thanks, but I have a spare carton. I could give it to
you if you wanted to save a trip to the store."

"Oh, no thanks," Suzanne said, "I sort of like my brand better."

Jill paused. "Suzanne, I noticed that you've been smoking a lot more
frequently than before. How much have you been smoking a day?" Jill asked,
knowing perfectly well how many she had been smoking.

Suzanne blushed, "Well, I'm afraid I'm up to a pack a day. I don't know what
happened, I'm smoking too much, but I can't seem to cut down. With the
pressure of these exams, I just want to smoke more and more. And I'm just
concerned when I get to my parents house, I won't be able to handle not
smoking for an extended period of time."

Jill smiled. "Yes, I know that sometimes happens. Do you know what I did?"

"No? What?" Suzanne questioned.

"Well, I moved up to full flavor. I found that I smoked far less frequently,"
she said, trying to sound convincing. "Somehow, the full flavor is a bit more
satisfying. That's what I found anyway. Care to give them a try? Why not take
my spare carton. They are a bit stronger than the 120's that you have been
smoking. It would be great if we both smoked the same brand too, don't you
think?"

Suzanne thought for a moment. She knew that she didn't mind Jill's
cigarettes, the few times she had smoked them. "Do you really think that will
work for me?" she said naively.

"Yes, I think so. Can I suggest something else?" Jill said humbly.

"What's that?" Suzanne said with a slight tone of concern tinged with
desperation.

"Well, since you have now adjusted to smoking and you are more used to it,
you'll find that if you inhale a little more deeply, and hold it for a few
seconds longer, you'll find it much more satisfying. The feeling lasts longer
and you won't have to smoke as often. That's what I found anyway." Jill said,
trying to hide her smile.

Suzanne paused.

She replied, "I guess it's worth a try. How much do I owe you?" Suzanne said.

"Consider it a gift, Suzanne. After all, we're roommates, and I'm glad to
help you out. I think you'll adjust quite  nicely to my brand. They have a
lot more flavor than the lights. You'll see. Here, have one now." Jill's
package was quickly positioned in front of Suzanne.

Suzanne reached out almost automatically, realizing that she needed a
cigarette. Suzanne began to feel somehow that this whole situation seemed
very familiar.

When Jill had mentioned taking longer drags, she knew exactly what she was
talking about. Suzanne had at times taken those long deep inhales, when she
had felt deprived; or when she had not smoked for a long time. She tried to
avoid this technique, attempting to smoke more casually. But she knew that
when she did it , it was much more satisfying.

She heard the lighter click, and before she could look up, it was inches from
the cigarette in her lips. She eagerly met the flame. The drag lasted five
seconds, if not more. The inhale was deep-very deep-she paused and held her
breath. The stronger cigarette did its work. The euphoric feeling started to
rush through her body. The cigarette drew very easily, she thought. The smoke
was thick as she continued to hold her breath. It tasted so rich and full.
She finally exhaled a long, nearly endless, plume of smoke. She sighed as she
again felt the deep relief, as her body nearly shuddered with pleasure. It
was bliss, she thought. There was no other word to describe it.

Jill watched the performance as she saw the effect that the cigarette was
having on her. She knew initially that Suzanne would be able to reduce the
number of cigarettes each day given the larger amount of nicotine that they
provided her. In a very short time she would be back to a pack a day, and
irreversibly dependent on the full flavor cigarettes. The hook was being
pushed deeper. She wanted to make sure that there would be no turning back
for Suzanne.

She smiled to herself. Suzanne was putty in her hands. The objective was
near.

Miles away, Giselle Leblanc was finishing her eighteenth cigarette of the
day. It was only 9:15 PM. She still felt a little dizzy from her last
cigarette. Smoking this number of cigarettes had not been as easy as she
thought it would be. She wasn't going to lose the bet, she affirmed to
herself. She waited fifteen minutes until her head had finally cleared, just
as she had done previously a couple of times that day. She had continued to
take the extra long drags and hold the smoke in for seconds before she
exhaled, just as she had seen Tammy do. She hoped that it would get easier.
She was now ready for her next cigarette. The Colibri lighter ignited
silently. She lit up her VS 100 again. "I'll show that little
whippersnapper," she said out loud. The long deep drag escaped from her
pursed lips in an extended funnel. "Ewww- that felt much better." Her first
day as a pack a day smoker was now within reach. She smiled. Just at that
moment, her thoughts wandered to her daughter. She actually started to look
forward to smoking with her daughter during her Thanksgiving visit.

Suzanne inhaled a long deep drag. Hmmm- the full flavor was much more
satisfying, just as Jill had said. She wondered at that moment what her
mother was doing. How would she react to her smoking? She hoped that there
would not be a fight, as she knew she would now "have" to smoke.

That day both the Leblanc women passed the point of no return. They would be
smokers for the rest of their lives.

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