ADVERTISEMENT
They spent the next hour comforting Jessica while treating me like I was the problem child causing unnecessary family drama. The disconnect between my near-collapse and their reaction planted the first seeds of a terrible realization that would only grow stronger in the coming days. As the night wore on and the medical staff worked to flush the contaminants from my system, I caught Jessica staring at me with an expression I’d never seen before.
When she thought no one was looking, her tears disappeared completely, replaced by something cold and calculating that made my blood run colder than the IV fluid in my arm. Three days later, I returned home from the hospital feeling like I’d survived a war zone. My body was still weak.
“I hope you can forgive me for being so stupid.”
Something in her tone didn’t match the concern in her words. While she was downstairs talking to our parents, I decided to look through her room for any clue about where she had actually gotten what contaminated my medication. Hidden beneath a loose floorboard under her bed, I found Jessica’s private journal.
My hands shook as I read entry after entry detailing systematic medication tampering, going back six months. The entries were written in Jessica’s distinctive handwriting, complete with dates, times, and detailed observations about my declining health. March 15th.
Switched America’s blood pressure medication with caffeine pills. She complained about heart palpitations all week but couldn’t figure out why. This is easier than I thought.
April 2nd. Added just a tiny bit of something to her insulin—not enough to take her out immediately, but enough to make her feel sick constantly. She’s been calling in sick to work more often.
Continue reading…
ADVERTISEMENT