Shroom Stories

A Trip to A & E continued....

"The ambulance is on its way" the woman said. "It should be here soon". Dave smiled at her, thinking she was pretty. His eyes then moved to the other officer looking down at him. Dave could just imagine what his eyes were seeing.

"I bet you've seen it all now" Dave said to him. He looked like he had been doing this for years.

"Don't know about that mate, it's my first week on the job" he said laughing at Dave. Dave found this hilarious, bursting into laughter too. His laugh was different on shrooms. It was an infectious sound, that seemed to transmit happiness. It was innocent and joyful. The officers all exchanged looks, and Dave was aware they were talking about him. He couldn't hear what as again the inner mind called him back, distracting him. He heard them laughing at him.

The intensity of the lights got stronger behind his eyelids. The pulsating blues rhythm changed increasing and changing, distracting Dave's eyes to open. The ambulance had arrived now its lights also flashing. And that was the moment Dave hit the plateau. He sighed, happiness flooding through him. He'd reached the place - the beautiful place – the greatest place in the world. He'd reached the magic land. Dave could always tell. He sighed again, relieved. He knew no-bad would befall him now. The trip was amazing now. It was sensational. He wanted to laugh out loud. If only they could see what he could, feel what he could, be like he was, right then. This was the greatest feeling alive. Nothing and no-one one could dent Dave now. Dave could've happily got up then shook everybody's hands, aplogised for all the inconvenience he'd caused, and that everything was gonna be all right now, and then disappeared into the night to gaze in wonder at anything and everything that took his fancy. The ambulance was quite un-necessary now. Dave was feeling great. All he wanted to do was get out, away from this madness he suddenly found himself in.

A wheel chair was wheeled to Dave, and he was helped to his feet by a couple of the male officers. "Oh there's quite no need for the chair" Dave said in prim and proper English. He was in his element now, with sheer ecstasy buzzing through him.

"I'm afraid you have to" said the ambulance attendant, a pleasant looking fellow with a gentle smile "we wouldn't want you hurting yourself on the journey to the hospital".

Hospital!! Dave thought. That's the last place he needed to be now. However he had the good sense not to complain, as he appreciated the delicacy of his situation. The police officers were still standing around watching Dave's every move. Dave sat in the wheelchair.

"I'm just going to have to strap you in" said the man behind him. "It's regulations, I'm afraid." Dave felt a bit embarrassed, like an invalid as he was strapped into the chair. The attendant then wheeled him to the ambulance whose doors were opened. Dave was spun round in the chair and then pushed in it onto a silver platform just big enough to fit the chair. The attendant pushed a button at the side of the ambulance, and Dave was then lifting, moving up in the air. He felt really embarrassed now, but also was overcome with a greatfulness to everybody that had helped him. The wheelchair lift clicked at the top, and Dave was then pushed into the side annex of the vehicle. "Please tell everyone thank you very much" Dave said. "They were all really nice to me, and did a great job."

The driver of the ambulance had come round to see how he could help, not sure what to expect from their passenger. They'd been radioed in shortly before to attend the scene of someone suspected of a magic mushroom overdose. Dave obviously wasn't what they were expecting to find, being so genial to everybody, polite and charming.

Dave clearly heard the driver say to his colleague "This is all very neat and tidy" as they seemed relieved Dave wasn't going to be giving them any trouble whatsoever. The attendant got in closing the double doors behind them, taking a seat on the bench on the other side next to Dave. The driver got in the front, starting the engines. They were soon moving on their way to the hospital.

The trip was now in full swing, and Dave was now at last able to appreciate it. It was something to behold. His head leaned back so that he was looking at the ambulance's white roof. It was a shimmering through a neon spectrum of colours, an unforgettable sight. Rather then be an alien thing, it felt the most natural thing in the world. Dave's senses were alive. He was appreciating now, truly what the human body, and mushrooms were capable of. Now they were talking. The feeling reminded Dave why he took shrooms. They simply could not be beat.

The attendant picked up the clipboard and began asking Dave some questions – about his medical history. Dave did his best to help, and the man made movements with his hand ticking boxes on the sheet.

"Do you know" the attendant said to Dave "the police weren't actually sure what to do with you, and couldn't decide between sending you to hospital or letting you sleep it off in the cells. We talked them into allowing us to take you with us. Dave smiled at the attendant.

"Thank you, everyone has been so kind to me. Thank you." He said. Dave really was one of life's good guys, and it was clear that they'd made the right decision. However the reality of spending a night a police cell tripping his head off, seemed an unpalatable suggestion. Instead he was getting VIP treatment and being rushed off to the nearest hospital. Dave really did have to laugh.

"My daughter did magic mushrooms once" he said. "She said they were very enjoyable. What are they like, now? What can you see?" The attendant seemed genuinely interested, almost fascinated what Dave was going through. Dave really wanted to tell them. However, it is not always easy to be descriptive at the peak of a level four mushroom trip. His attempts to portray what was going on in his mind, just couldn't be put in words. "It's amazing" was all he could manage. "Just simply amazing". The attendant pressed for more, but Dave just couldn't pay attention. The visual cascade before him could not be ignored. He just sat staring at it a wondrous look on his face.

The attendant picked up that Dave needed his own space, and began talking to the driver. Dave's head leaned back, taking in the psychedelic extravaganza. This is what he was talking about Dave thought to himself. This was the best part of the trip now. The experience had gelled, filling Dave with a feeling of absolute contentedness and happiness. At the same time, his mind bedazzled him with a spectacular light show, where light glinted off everything in a fractural magnificence. If you have never taken magic mushrooms, then whatever you are imagining this experience to be like, you are probably so far short of its true beauty. This state that Dave now found himself in, was the reason every shroomer did it. And whilst Dave was only sitting in the back of a London ambulance, right there and then, it was the most beautiful and special place in the world. It was something that he could only sit back and appreciate, stunned and astounded at it's sheer awesomeness. If only the two guys whose company Dave now shared could see this, if only the police who had helped him earlier could be his witness, or the politicians that so frivously attempted to prohibit Dave's current experience, could just simply understand, just what it was that Dave now could. This moment, right here, right now, was the reason Dave took magic mushrooms – sure the beginning part could get a little hairy, but once it got into the swing of things, the experience was out of this world.

The ambulance ground to a stop having swung into the hospital car park. The ambulance attendant fussed over Dave as he unlocked the seatbelt and positioned the wheel chair back onto the lift ramp at the back. Dave felt he should really be walking and protested a little, but the attendant assisted. Next Dave was being pushed across the car park and into the brightly lit corridors of Accident and Emergency. He felt really sheepish. Before he new it, Dave was greeted by a man in white overalls, with a stetescope around his neck. He was like the Doctors Dave always saw on telly. Around him were at least five nurses kitted in light purple outfits.

The Doctor gave Dave a big smile leaning in towards him. "How are you" he asked? Dave's smiled back happy to be around anyone. Nothing could bring him down. He was aware of the nurses circling round him too. They seemed to all be smiling for some reason. Dave found the whole situation funny, and burst out into infectious giggles. A couple of the nurses giggled back.

"So what have you been up to" asked the Doctor, meaning what drug was Dave on.

"Just some magic mushrooms" Dave giggled back. Dave couldn't help laughing now. And once he started it, it was difficult to stop. It was infectious though, and seemed to put every one in a light hearted mood. He didn't notice as the Doctor reached into Dave's pockets.

"Who's Bro" the doctor asked.

Dave's ears pricked up at the question, and his head nodded up to the doctor in surprise. The Doctor was holding Dave's mobile phone and had gone through his address book, obviously looking for next of kin details.

"He's my brother" Dave replied. "He's a really good guy – really funny", Dave managed to gurgle out, on the verge of another bought of hilarity.

"What's your brother's name" the Doctor asked? Dave told them, and then stared wide eyed in horror, strapped in his chair as the Doctor pressed a button and raised it to his ear.

A few moments later he began to speak "Is that Jake" the Doctor asked pausing to listen to the response. "Hello, this is Dr Richards at the Royal Imperial Hospital in London. We've just had your brother Dave admitted to us".

Dave could just sense what a shock this must've been for Jake. He must think that Dave had been in a car accident or something horrible. It was funny, Dave's sense's were so alive he could almost here his brother's response in the mobile phone pressed up to the doctors ear.

"It's ok", the Doctor continued. "He was brought in suffering from the effects of magic mushroom intoxication…. – yes he's ok now, we've got him under observation, but would it be ok if you came and picked him up?" "What" thought Dave. Last time he checked his brother was living in Portsmouth a good two hour drive away. There'd be no way he would want to come up at 3 am in the morning to bail Dave out.

But Dave's bro was a top guesser who'd always helped him out in the past. "Great, we'll see you soon then" the Doctor thanked him. He hung up and then passed the phone back to Dave.

"Your brother is going to come and collect you once we've made sure you're fit again to leave" he said. "He should be here in an hour or so. Until then we'll stick you in a cubicle and you can work the drug out of your system. Unfortunately with magic mushrooms there's just no cure that we can administer. However the effects shouldn't last more then a few more hours".

Dave was at the peak of the experience now – the moment he referred to as the Golden hour – the most special and amazing time to spend with the shrooms. The fact that he was in a hospital was immaterial. The buzz dazzled and worked it's magic. He felt utterly and indescribably amazing.

A young orderly male nurse came and wheeled Dave away to a small cubicle enclosed by a curtain on a rail that could be swung open and closed. It had a narrow bed that Dave was asked to get on and lie down. The male nurse immediately cracked some jokes at Dave, setting Dave off into a fit of laughter. He just couldn't contain himself. The mushroom had touched his soul, and unlocked his inner being. It was a beautiful happy feeling that could only be expressed through laughing.

As he lay back on the bed the ceiling continued to dazzle an electric spectacle of colour and fireworks. His mind drifted as if on a gentle breeze, and his thoughts taking on a startlingly realistic 3D quality. It was like he could see a film of his of life, and as if he was actually living in the moment of his thoughts. He could look around, and see everything his thoughts allowed, the people, the texture of the wall, the conversations, the sounds, smells – everything. It was superb. Dave's mind now entertained him, and he succumbed to cinematic experience it displayed behind his eyelids. Even with his eyes open his imagination transfixed itself to his visions almost projected onto the walls and ceiling. But it was the laughter that predominated. Dave just couldn't stop, and was totally oblivious to the noise he must've been making at such an early time in the morning, or who he might be disturbing. Every now and then the orderly would pop back to check up on Dave, and crack a joke, which was usually enough to set Dave back off on one. He'd left the curtain open and Dave could see the people in the corridor as they walked past, mainly nurses, who smiled at Dave – he seemed to have transmitted a light joviality to the hospital amongst its entire staff, who would otherwise be working in probably quite sombre and serious conditions. Some of the nurses even giggled as they walked past. Dave was definitely not the usual type of in-patient they got – laughter like this was not something they were accustomed to coming from someone suffering from a drug over-dose.

Then as if by magic, Jake walked in. He looked serious – completely the opposite from Jake who was grinning like a Cheshire cat at some thought that had just popped into his head. "Alright Bro" Dave said, as Jake came in and sat on the small stool next to the bed. Jake seemed to relax straight away, clearly seeing that Dave was in good spirits.
"Hello Dave – what the hell happened to you then" he asked?

Dave wasn't even sure he had the ability to explain, but became aware that the experience was starting to ease, losing a fraction of its intensity. He could stay in the moment with greater ease now. Dave filled his brother in as best he could, stopping every now and then as a giggle fit hit him.

Jake was aware they were in a hospital. "Listen mate, I don't want to spoil your party, but there are a lot of people in here who have pretty bad problems, so you might want to try and keep it down for them", Jake said. He was always considerate like that.

Dave nodded, trying his best. "But I thought you were in Portsmouth" Dave asked. "Did you drive up here all the way from there"?

"No – just by chance I was at a function in London tonight and was staying at a hotel nearby, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to do it. You just got lucky".

That was something Dave had always been aware of – amazing things always seemed to happen to him on shrooms, and he couldn't believe how things seemed to work themselves out – as if by magic. They were special, unfathomable things. Dave loved them.

They talked for a few more minutes, and then Jake said he was tired and wanted to sleep, leaning back into the chair and closing his eyes. Dave took the cue from this to lean back into the bed also and closed his eyes too. He watched as dragons flew around his vision, and cities constructed themselves before his eyes. A feeling of peace and tranquillity washed over him, interspersed with an overriding warmth – a glow. It was a beautiful feeling – a feeling of true wellbeing. Dave always got this when he did libs. It was one of the reasons he did them – he believed they were positively good for you. He was glowing with healthiness and vitality – this was what feeling alive was all about. However, unless you had felt it, Dave knew you could never really understand. You'd just have to take his word for it. But it was truly special.

An hour or so later, the visions faded, and the dazzling effects that had entertained him through the night had gone. The chemicals that make magic mushrooms so potent and 'intoxicating' have a very predictable life span in the body. After 4 – 5 hours, most of the chemicals have been worked through the system and the body soon returns itself to an even keel. Unlike other drugs where there is a noticeable comedown, the magic mushroom experience just fades away, as if getting into a lift and descending to the ground floor. The organic nature of the experience leaves no lasting ill effects or negative experiences. It is as if you are just gently lowered back onto the ground having sat on a magic carpet for the last four hours. Dave was sorry to see the experience dwindle away, but glad also that he'd got his act together. He still felt the buzzing warmness throughout his being – (that was something that often persisted long after the trip had finished Dave found), and his mind felt like it had been put through a car wash and come out clean. Whilst feeling a little groggy (most likely from the effects of the alcohol he'd consumed, his thoughts were crystal clear and razor sharp. It was time to get out of here. He sat up. Jake was asleep in his chair. He reflected on what had been a memorable evening, smiling to himself. Then he remembered John. Sh@t – he'd forgotten all about him. Dave wondered how he'd got on. Dave knew that John must've had just a strong a trip – also the pyscological torment Dave's disappearance would have had must've added to John's own experience. One thing was for sure, it was a night they'd both never forget. Dave swung his feet out of bed and stood up. He bent down to Jake, gently nudging his arm to wake him.

"Come on mate, let's get out of here" he said. Jake rubbed his eyes blinking a few times, and then agreed. The Doctor who had caused Jake to come and get Dave walked past at just that moment. He looked across and Dave said "Thank you, I'm feeling much better now". The Doctor smiled

"You were funny" he said, smiling at Dave and then continued walking on his way. Dave smiled after him. Jake appeared next to him and they made their way out of the hospital into the car park. A taxi was available and Dave and Jake got in. Moments later the car pulled out of the car park disappearing into the early morning dark.