I reached for the glass of water I had kept beside my bed the night before. My fingers trembled as I placed the pill between my cheek and my gum, waiting for it to dissolve, just as I was instructed. The bitter taste spread around my tongue and whole mouth. It was very unpleasant, but I didn’t flinch. I sat quietly, waiting for everything to dissolve. Each second that passed felt slower than the last. When it finally dissolved, I swallowed the residue with a sip of water. I felt a bit of relief, but I braced myself for what was about to happen next.
I managed to get myself out of my bed and dragged my feet to stand. I looked at myself in the mirror, a terrible reminder of what I had done to an innocent child growing inside of me. My hair was messy, and my eyes looked a bit swollen, I was
