Joshua Bennett-Johnson continues his teenage DEA informant story. In Part II, secrecy, controlled buys, and a friend’s warning deepen his fear as the work continues past when he expected it to end.

Tim Lineaweaver remembers hearing that addiction is progressive as a warning, then discovering a more hopeful truth: recovery can be progressive too. In this personal reflection, he traces the shift from alcohol offering relief to alcohol taking over, then describes the difficult first months of sobriety, the wreckage that had to be repaired, and the gradual return of health, hope, family, and purpose.

A deeply honest reflection on why moderation fails and why sobriety requires clarity, not negotiation.