The Addicts

"The Addicts" by Joseph Samachson is a science fiction story set in an isolated asteroid lighthouse where Jim Palmer battles his dependence on marak, a tempting yet destructive drug, and believes that by sharing this “cure” with his unhappy wife, Louise, he can alleviate her sadness, and they navigate a dangerous existence threatened by alien beings. Palmer's desire to ease Louise's pain through addiction highlights themes of love, dependence, and contrasting views on life, while the narrative takes a turn when Louise secretly cures Jim with an antidote, forcing him to face their grim reality without the drug's comforting embrace where the story reaches its climax as he confronts external dangers, his newfound sobriety empowering him to act decisively, despite yearning for the euphoria he has lost.