It was only two years ago when someone who I trusted and depended on so deeply, hurt and betrayed our family with an unforgiveable mistake. I was only 16, but I still knew what was going on. I’ve watched the videos in school, we’ve had police officers come and talk to us, and they show us pictures about what drugs do to people. Acne appears, sores take longer to heal, and the skin loses its luster and elasticity, making the user appear years, even decades older. Once I saw that in my uncle, I knew he was a meth addict. His teeth were rotten black, he was skin and bones, and he smelled terrible. He almost smelled like spoiled milk, no, he DID smell like spoiled milk. It was awful! We couldn’t even stand to be around him, because he smelled so terrible. My family didn’t know what was going on right away, but once the signs were showing through my uncle. We had to investigate more. My uncle lives in a brand new camper behind my grandfather, “Papaw’s”, house. There is no room for him to live inside, and no one uses the camper anymore. So, we just parked the camper close to the woods where he would have his own privacy and that is where he now lives. It was only my uncle Eddie living in the camper at first, but then my uncle Mike and his girlfriend broke up, so he had nowhere to stay either. So then, my uncle Mike moved into the camper. Everything was fine for a while, until they started disturbing the peace. It only took a couple months for this brand new Coleman camper took look like it had been rolled down a hill, set on fire, and thrown in a pile of mud. It was disgusting! No one went inside the camper anymore except Mike and Eddie. It looked abandoned, like it was just a place to go throw out your trash. We couldn’t wait for my uncle to be on his feet again, out of the camper, and out of the backyard. My Papaw didn’t say anything to Eddie, and we know he never would. It was his son. Eddie was adopted by my Papaw when he was born. I know he is family and all, but what he was doing was unforgiveable. My Nana knew what was going on, but I don’t think she wanted to believe it. She wanted to ignore this monster growing and destroying her family. But once random things like brake fluid, lighter fluid, and the Mason jars started disappearing from the garage we knew he was up to no good. Things from inside my Papaw’s house started missing too, like his Sudafed, boxes of matches, and iodine. Now, who in their right mind would need these things? Well I’ll tell you who… my uncles. They needed these things to make meth. They made meth, they sold meth, and they were users of meth. They, in fact, weren’t in their right mind at all. Once we figured out what was really going on in the camper, we had to put an end to it all. I went to my Papaw’s house where I found my Nana sitting at the marble counter top, staring at her now cold coffee, and tears streaming down her face.
“Nana, what’s wrong?” I asked her
“Did you notice that that disgusting camper was gone?” She asked in return.
“Yes, what happened? Where are Uncle Eddie and Uncle Mike? Are they okay?” All these questions came rushing to my mind. I couldn’t help but overload my Nana with questions until she answered all of them.
“Uncle Eddie got arrested yesterday. I’m sure you saw and smelt how bad he was getting. He and Uncle Mike were making meth in the camper. The camper was their meth lab. That’s why the camper looked like it did. I called the cops, because I knew what was going on. I have known for a while, actually. I just didn’t WANT to believe what was going on.” My Nana explained as I held her hand tight.

“What about Uncle Mike, where is he?” I asked with a soft voice so I wouldn’t trigger the waterworks again.
“He ran. We don’t know where he went, but he wasn’t here when the cops got here.” Nana sobbed. After everything my family has done to help and support my uncles when they had nothing… This hurts us all so bad. Why would they do this? What made