ASHER TO JACK
You know the rest of the story, right Jack?
At least, what's been said in the news.
All three kids died.
While we watched a movie and had sex, Beth's children died from an insulin overdose.
No, no one in our family was diabetic, but you know that already.
I took the insulin from a co-worker over a period of a few months. They never had any idea their medication wasn't lost: it was stolen.
I thought I'd gotten away with it.
I was the grieving step-father, just wanting to comfort my wife during this loss. She was inconsolable, as was to be expected.
Chad was a great friend during this time.
I couldn't go into the forum, well, it wasn't that I couldn't, but Chad advised that I stay away. He shared the news and forwarded all the condolences.
Things were fine for a short time. No one looked at me, not until after the police had done their due diligence and talked with all our neighbors and teachers.
Of course, I inquired about the insurance money; we had three funerals to pay for.
Even though there was a loud uproar in the community about three children dying and the fear of poisoned candy, when no other child got sick, of course, the focus was placed on Beth and me.
Me, more than Beth.
The police were nice, at first. That didn't last long.
I was warned to stay home, to find a lawyer. I knew most of the cops in town, so there was some sort of trust built up.
Beth didn't want to believe I'd done anything wrong, and I maintained I never had.
Then I got a phone call.
It was Chad.
He suggested I take the fall, admit what I'd done if I wanted Beth to remain safe.
He held over my head all our private messages inside the forum, the emails that went back and forth, and even the forum discussion he'd told everyone he'd deleted.
Turns out he was a liar. He'd printed hard copies.
Those were damaging. They were also used as evidence. No one knew about the secret email where I'd shared exactly what I'd done with him or how he'd helped me perfect the plan.
That - he held over my head.
All of us, the small group Chad had groomed to kill their step-children, were all caught and sentenced.
We'd all poisoned the candy, each with different methods, methods Chad all helped us to think of.
They blamed me for being the mastermind. Can you believe that?
I know they questioned Chad. Turns out he really was a therapist.
A dishonest, conniving therapist who forged documents with all our signatures, documents that stated we were his patients in some sort of group therapy. He claims he never believed we'd follow through with anything. Can you believe that?
I call bullshit.
Did you know those documents were faked? I swore up and down I never signed it, but, of course, that was never proven.
I don't know how he got my signature, how he got any of ours, but he did and somehow forged it.
What's that? Sure, we sent out Christmas ca....rds. Well shit. Yeah, the first year in that group, he'd asked everyone for a Christmas card. Of course, Beth wanted to send him one back because that's what you do. And, of course, I signed my name.
Damn.
Chad, the ass, threatened my wife's safety.
I fully believed him too.
If he could orchestrate a handful of men to all kill their step-children during Halloween, then I'm sure he'd figure out a way to kill my wife too.
So I took the fall.
I came here.
My wife wanted nothing to do with me after everything came out.
A lawyer showed up one day with divorce papers I needed to sign. I refused unless I could speak to her - something I had yet to do after getting arrested - but she made a vow never to speak to me again and kept it.
Regrets ... I have all of them. The thing is, regrets mean nothing in the long run.
Sure, I've regretted what I did. Hell, I regret many of the things I did, but since I can't do anything about any of those regrets, why live with them hanging over me?
So...now that you know my big secret, what will you do with it?
Wonder if Chad is still alive?
Guess it won't matter much what happens now, will it? I'm going to go soon, right?
Thank you, Jack. Has anyone said that before to you? I see that big needle, and I don't feel anything but thankfulness that this life is about to be over.
I'll finally be free.