She comes every night

A hard day. A little lay down... what could be the harm?

I pull the drawer open and pull out the small - very small - oilskin wrap, unfold it, then place the sticky brown lump onto the table.

I extract a pin, impale a small piece of the lump, toast it in a candle flame until it bubbles and convulses, then quickly place it in the bowl of the pipe, transfer the flame to the bowl, then draw... draw... the sticky, sweetened and scented vapours within me.

I breathe out, and when the last blue wisps evaporate, I place the apparatus on a metal tray, double check that there is no possible hazard of fire, then lay my head back on the pillow.

Look - here she comes. Here she comes again, just like last night.

I don't know what she sees in me, but she must like me - she comes every night.