Chapter 2 - The Poisoned Brother
Chaos erupted inside the small hospital room.
My mother dropped to her knees beside Ethan, screaming for help.
A team of doctors and nurses rushed through the door within seconds.
They lifted my brother onto a stretcher and began checking his vital signs.
"His heart rate is plummeting!" a nurse shouted.
My father stood frozen in the corner, his face completely devoid of color.
Daniel stepped in front of my bed, shielding me from the terrifying scene.
A doctor flashed a light into Ethan's eyes and frowned.
"He has been exposed to a highly toxic synthetic chemical," the doctor announced.
My father suddenly snapped out of his trance and pointed a shaking finger at me.
"She did this!" my father yelled.
I shrank back against my pillows, completely horrified by the accusation.
"She stole money from us today, and when Ethan caught her, she must have poisoned him!" he lied.
A police officer, who had been taking my statement earlier, stepped back into the room.
The officer placed his hand on his utility belt and looked at me with suspicion.
"Claire, I am going to need to inspect your hands and your clothing," the officer said sternly.
Daniel immediately raised his hands, blocking the officer's path.
"You are not treating a fourteen-year-old victim like a criminal without proof," Daniel warned.
The officer glared at Daniel but signaled to a nurse to bring in my winter jacket.
The jacket was brought into the room inside a clear plastic evidence bag.
"We collected this when she was brought in," the nurse explained.
The officer held the bag up to the fluorescent lights.
Everyone in the room stared at the damp fabric of my coat.
Along the inner collar, a strange, bright blue powder was clearly visible.
"That is a synthetic neurotoxin," Daniel whispered, his voice laced with dread.
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Then Daniel slowly turned his head to look directly at my father.
"You laced her coat with poison before you kicked her out into the snow," Daniel realized aloud.
