I stared at the screen. The photo in the message made my stomach churn. It was of Daisy and me, something private only the two of us had. No one else should have seen this.
What the hell is happening here? My head spun with questions. How did they get this? How does that person know every move of my life?
Another message popped up, sharp and direct.
You don't have much time. First, make yourself vomit. Then call emergency services. They'll rescue you, but you have to act now.
I froze, panic gripping my chest. The pills were already coursing through me and I felt the dizziness creeping in, my body growing heavy. My breaths came shallow and fast.
I stumbled toward the first aid kit. Daisy always kept it stocked, neat, and organized, but now everything was chaos. Bottles, bandages, and pill packets flew everywhere as I searched for something like a vomiting pill that could save me.
Nothing here.
I'm running out of time, surrounding sounds are barely audible to my ears.
I dragged myself to the bathroom, gripping the sink for support. My reflection stared back at me, pale and broken. The dizziness was worse now, blurring my vision.
I didn't have a choice. With shaking hands, I forced two fingers down my throat. My body rebelled, gagging violently. Tears streamed down my face as I retched, the acrid taste burning my throat. It was awful, but it worked—part of the pills came up.
It wasn't sufficient. My legs trembled like jelly, struggling to support me. My head felt as if it might burst. I wobbled back to my room, grasping the walls for stability.
I needed my phone. I slumped to the floor, crawling the remaining distance to the nightstand. My fingers located it, the screen still faintly illuminated.
I press 9...1…
Dizziness hit me hard. My vision narrowed as darkness encroached. My fingers hovered over the last digit, but I couldn't press it. The phone slipped from my grip as the world whirled. My body collapsed into the abyss.
Meanwhile, the unknown sender picked up the phone, dialing a number with precision.
On the other end, a voice answered, "Hello?"
"Call emergency services," the voice.
Here's the address. Tell them someone has collapsed. Relay my instructions without deviations.
"Understood," the caller replied.
Good. The amount is credited to your account, before hanging up.
The caller dialed emergency services, his voice shaky. "Someone has collapsed at this address."
"How many people are present, sir?" the operator asked.
Just one, he replied, nervously checking the time.
"An ambulance is on the way; they'll arrive in five minutes," the operator assured.
The call ended.
The paramedics arrived swiftly, efficiently cutting through the tense atmosphere of the dim room. Liam lay motionless on the floor, his pale face beside a tipped bottle of pills. One responder checked his pulse while another scanned the scene.
"Sleeping pills," one said, holding the bottle. "We'll administer the antidote right away."
The team quickly stabilized Liam. As they prepared to transport him to the hospital, one responder glanced around, a strange unease washing over him.
"Who made the call?" he asked quietly.
"No one was here when we got here," another replied, shaking their head.
The first responder frowned but dismissed it, focusing on saving Liam's life.
After two days, I woke up in bed. Everything felt... normal. My body no longer ached, and for a moment, I thought, Maybe I'm okay now.
Then, the door creaked open. My mom and dad stepped inside. Mom's face was pale, her eyes swollen and red from crying. She sat beside me on the bed, her voice trembling as she spoke.
"Lee," she began, tears streaming down her face. "Why? Why did you make that decision? Even though you lost so much, you still have us. Don't you see? No parent wants to see their child like this. Did you even think about us?" Her voice cracked.
I wanted to say that I was sorry and explain how I felt after losing everything but I don't know how to convince my mom.
She wiped her tears. I don't want to talk about that now. You need rest. That's all that matters. If you need anything, please call us, Lee
Her words broke my heart. I can feel her pain of losing a person, how much pain it left.
After few hours of rest, I finally managed to get some sleep. I could feel the weight of exhaustion lifting a little as I opened my eyes, and there, standing in the doorway, were my parents. They still looked worried, but I could see the relief in their eyes.
I've settled everything now. We're ready for discharge and doctor told you to take rest, Dad said
Okay Dad , I said Love you mom, Dad and I smiled gently to make her smile.
I was about to get up when my phone rang, interrupting the moment. I hesitated but answered it.
Hello, who's this?
This is Officer James from the police department. Is this Liam?
Yes, sir.
We need to ask you a few questions about Daisy's accident. Can you come to the station? It won't take long.
I'm at the hospital right now, sir. Maybe in two hours, I'll be able to make it.
Alright, no problem, the officer said
I sighed and looked at my parents.
When we arrived home, my dad drove my car. I had never seen him like this; he was always so playful, but today he was completely silent. I felt dirty and had a hospital smell lingering on me, so I took a cold shower. After showering, Mom makes my favorite dish to eat, I really miss her cooking, after a long time I eat a full plate of pasta and then head to the station.
I reached the police station, my mind with questions and confusion.
I walked into the room and saw the officer sitting at the desk. "Is this James, sir?"
Yes, I'm Officer James. "Come in, Liam. Take a seat."
I sat down across from him.
Where were you on October 30th? he asked, his tone professional.
I paused, trying to gather my thoughts. "I was out for some work. After returning home, that's when the incident happened."
What kind of work?