Exiting the belly of the beast

Date: 9/30/2020

I’m being escorted out from a large hotel ballroom by my handler after a week long bender at this conference. I have a backpack and a suitcase, but someone has stolen my duffel bag with my wallet and nearly 20 doses of acid. We walk down the spiral staircase and out onto the rock flats, avoiding the military personnel. I’ll be going home, but not without a cost. That’s the price I pay for entering the belly of the beast.