One by One

by Freida McFadden

That’s why the number six represents both man and the evil that weakens him. In Revelation, 666 is the number of the devil. The sixth Commandment is thou shalt not kill. Six is not a nice number.

I can tell you my secret right now: At the end of this week, only one of us will make it home alive.

Belladonna berries look very much like blueberries. They’re shiny black, about half an inch in size, and they’re sweet. The berries are highly toxic. They cause delirium and hallucinations, and they disrupt the body’s ability to regulate its sweating, heart rate, and breathing. Eventually, seizures and cardiovascular failure will occur. Early humans made poisonous arrows using belladonna. In an adult, fifteen to twenty berries are enough to kill you. A child could die from two or three.

He’s quiet for a moment. “I’m really glad you didn’t eat any of those berries.”

I put the pill bottle back on her nightstand. I crept over her body and left the room, closing the door behind me. Then I went downstairs and finished my sandwich.