My Brother Feels It When I Try to Die

When I opened my eyes again, I was still alive.I lay in my own bed, my wrist wrapped in thick layers of gauze. The entire family stood around me.My brother, Cedric Ainsworth, looked pale as paper. His wrist, for some reason, was also wrapped in gauze.Mom’s eyes were red and swollen. She held my hand, and her voice trembled."Sadie, why would you do something like this? Is there anything you cannot tell me?"Before I could speak, Allegra began her performance."Sadie, do you not like me? Is that why you did something this extreme, just to get Mom and Dad’s attention? Do you have any idea how worried they are?"Her voice sounded soft and quivering. Her eyes looked wide and pitiful whenever she glanced at our parents."Mom, Dad... maybe I should move out. I do not want to make her unhappy."Both of our parents’ expressions darkened.Spineless as I was, I could not find a single word to fight back with. Allegra looked thrilled, and she did not forget to throw me a smug little

"Sadie, that is really not okay." Allegra’s voice carried a tone of gentle reproach."Even if they could not give you the best life, they still raised you all those years. They gave you a second chance at life. How could you find out you are an Ainsworth and immediately try to cut ties with the people who took care of you?"She wore the perfect expression of someone genuinely concerned for me, although the gloating in her eyes looked ready to spill over.Tears streamed down my face. I choked out, "You are right. It is my fault."The moment they saw I was still the same spineless pushover as always, my foster family puffed right back up."If you want our forgiveness, that depends on your sincerity." My foster father, Glen Mullis, eyed the mansion with naked greed."Your brother has his eye on a girl lately, and her family is asking for quite the wedding gift. Your mom and I are struggling here..."He had not even finished, and I nodded obediently. I leaned in close to my foster p

Cedric lunged forward and tried to force his fingers down my throat. Mom and Dad fumbled to call an ambulance.I shoved Cedric’s hand away and bolted.He chased after me without stopping. "Sadie, spit it out. I am begging you. Please do not die. I will do anything you want."I ran, and he chased. We tore around the mansion in circles with no way out.After more laps than I could count, my legs buckled with a heavy thud. I dropped to my knees and collapsed face-first onto the ground.I had drunk the entire bottle, and the intense running sped up the spread of the toxins. The poison hit ahead of schedule.In the last second before my eyes closed, I saw Cedric behind me, also sprawled on the ground and foaming at the mouth.So that was how it worked.The heavy smell of disinfectant and the steady beeping of a heart monitor pulled me back to consciousness. I turned my head and found Cedric lying in the bed next to mine, hooked up to the same IV drip.The room stayed quiet. It was

Allegra blinked up at me with wide, innocent eyes.Something felt very off. I had never seen her look at me this nicely.The whale-watching boat was leaving at 5:00 am, and we all had to be downstairs by then. It was nearly midnight, and she still clung to my doorframe, making it clear she would not leave until I said yes.I had no choice. I let her in.The night passed without incident.The next morning, Allegra woke me up. It was already five.I splashed water on my face and threw on the windbreaker jacket she handed me.We made it onto the boat without any trouble. It paid to be an Ainsworth. The charter had been several hundred thousand, and they booked the entire vessel without blinking. Besides my family, the only other people on board were Captain Erik and his first mate.The trip out stayed smooth. Captain Erik was a funny, charismatic local who spent the entire ride telling us legends about whales and Vikings.Before long, we reached the prime viewing spot."Look. Hu