I took the box from the shelf. It was light in my hand, deceptively insignificant. I carried it to the self-checkout, my movements calm, my hands steady for the first time all day.
But the machine flashed, a red light blinking. ASSISTANCE REQUIRED.
A store attendant, a young woman with a kind, tired face and a name tag that read "Chloe," came over.
"Let me just authorize this for you," she said, her voice pleasant. She scanned her badge, then picked up the box. Her eyes flicked from the "Sniper" branding to my face, and a faint, concerned frown creased her brow.
"Ma'am," she said. "This is a very strong, highly toxic agricultural insecticide. Ingesting, inhaling, or absorbing it through the skin is extremely dangerous and can cause severe poisoning and death. May I ask... what do you n
