Emily Ketchum

1999-2011

COD: Poisoning

This was...Emily's...death certificate?! Anna was shocked. Just what was going on? If Emily was dead...Who was this girl? With trembling hands Anna turned the page of the mysterious diary to find several pages filled with anothers writing not belonging to the original author.

"We were so filled with grief at the time, it seemed like a good idea. She had been getting better! It made no sense! How could this have happened? She had been complaining of sharp pains in her leg, but we paid it no mind. We just kept telling her to exercise through the pain. It would get better; she would get better. Finally after showing no real progress with her walking after a month we took her back to the Dr and he took X-rays. We couldn't believe what we were seeing. There was an entire Raticate fang in her leg and we had been making her walk with it embedded inside of her! He said it would be a simple surgery, not even a surgery a...procedure. He'd just pull it out and we'd be on a straight path to recovery. How could he not have known that it was like removing a Beedrill sting? You don't squeeze and pull...but he did. He squeezed it with pliers and when he pulled it out...so much poison had come out...all into her. Emily...she immediately began seizing on the table and then...she stopped. Just like that...Emily...my precious Emily...was gone. It was the third hardest day of my life.

The first was watching my two baby girls getting separated. I wanted Delia to take them both, but it was impossible. She already had Ash to look after so she took Emily, and Amy went to my room mates older sister. I had planned on returning to school after giving birth, but after taking one look at Emily I knew I could never leave her. I wanted to keep her; I wanted to keep them both as soon as I saw them but I couldn't. I was only 17...there was no father in the picture. How could I raise two babies by myself? I didn't have what it takes to be a mother. It broke my heart watching Delia leave with little Emily, but I knew it was for the best. The first time I heard Emily call Delia "mommy" crushed me. I was so overcome with jealousy I had to leave. I stopped coming around as often as I watched Emily grow up from the side lines. Things got better when I had my son four years later, but there was still that hole in my heart that ached with "What ifs?" What if I had kept her? Did I really have to give both of them away? Why hadn't I just kept Emily and given Amy to Delia? Would the same thing have happened even if I had Emily? Would my heart have longed for Amy as well? No, I know that never would have worked. The one that went to Delia would always wonder why she wasn't wanted. Which was exactly why we agreed to not tell Emily. It was best if she grew up believing she was Delia's child. As much as it hurt me to listen to her call some other woman "mom" I knew it was for the best; but even knowing didn't stop the pain.

Suddenly out of the blue Delia called me wanting to come over and bring...baby supplies? I've always been a bit of a hoarder so she knew I must have some of Tommy's old things stored in a box somewhere, which I did. I put a bag together with sippy cups, bottles, pacifiers and a changing mat, grabbed Tommy away from his video games and headed over. I was shocked by what I saw. The poor thing looked horrible. Dark circles under her eyes, thin as a rail and the poor girl was even back in diapers. Well, that explained the changing pad. I handed over the bag of supplies as Delia pulled out a bottle and filled it with water before handing it over to her. Why a bottle I had wondered, until I saw the girls arms shake something horrible as she tried to raise it to her mouth only to end up dropping it. The girl looked so pitiful and frail I just wanted to hold her in my arms and bottle feed her myself. I asked Delia about the pacifier and she explained Emily cried just like a newborn whenever she used her diapers and that she needed something else to focus on during the process. I couldn't blame her though, it didn't sound pleasant but taking one look at Emily; I could see how getting her to and from the bathroom in time would be out of the question.

Emily told me about the noises in the walls as I smiled and nodded politely worried for her mental health. Delia told me about the bites on her, but I'd never heard of that causing something like this. Suddenly a quiet moan escaped her mouth as she curled into a ball from under her blanket. I watched her and began growing concerned, but Delia just sighed and told her to stop holding it. She complained she did not want to do it in front of everyone and that's when I realized what was happening, or was about to happen anyway. I gave her a sympathetic smile and excused myself to the kitchen to go check on Tommy only to see him standing in awe as the kitchen was being overrun by little purple mice. Tommy made a motion to return to the living room, but I grabbed him by the collar and shook my head as Emily's cries grew louder until all was quiet and Delia said we could come back.

To say Delia looked shocked would be the understatement of the century as her face paled at what Tommy had unleashed inside her kitchen. She did ask him to flush it out after all; but I think she had only been expecting one. Suddenly we began hearing a strange noise coming from the walls themselves as Emily exclaimed that's what she had been talking about. This couldn't be good I thought as I took a seat back on the sofa as we all sat quietly in the living room listening to what I could only imagine was a tiny army of marching feet. We all jumped about a foot in the air when the phone rang and the town Dr. only confirmed my suspicions about the house's occupants. Suddenly out of nowhere, the power went out throwing the whole room into a frenzy. There on the chair in front of Emily, was a huge Raticate that hissed and bared it's teeth at her. I was about to lunge forward but Delia surprised me and charged wielding a stellato as she smacked that rat into oblivion. I reminded myself not to make that woman mad as we quickly collected what we needed too as I ushered them out the door to my house…"

So many questions filled Anna's head. Emily couldn't have died...she was right outside the bedroom door and...Oh crap Anna thought as she hid the diary under her pillow. She'd have to read the rest later. Something told her this family wouldn't be thrilled if they caught her snooping.

"Alright you two." Rachel said entering the room with Emily in tow before closing it behind her. "Who wants to go first? I think you'll be easier." She said motioning for Emily to sit at the desk as she pulled on another pair of gloves. "Show me everywhere you've got it."

"My left hand and around my mouth and face." Emily said closing her eyes as Rachel began spreading the purple colored goop along the irritated areas. After coating her palm and in between the girls fingers she instructed Emily to wear a latex glove to keep the ointment on and prevent the rash from spreading.

"How about you go hang out with your mom for a bit? I know she's really missed you." Rachel said giving her a playful shove towards the door. "You can come hang out with your friend later." Emily gave Anna a pleading look asking for her to make a case for her, but Anna just shrugged.

"I'll be fine alone for five minutes." Anna said with a grin as Emily sighed in defeat as she realized she wasn't needed anymore sending her one last look and walking out the door.

"I'm going to take the sheet off now." Rachel said once Emily was gone as she pulled it away exposing the naked girl again. "Start listing everywhere you've got it; don't spare the details."

"Right hand, and everywhere down there." Anna said with a sigh. "I used it as toilet paper."

"Mmm." Rachel said trying to hide her laughter. "I'm sorry, you're probably in a lot of pain. Do you need the bathroom before I put this on? Once I put it on i'm going to wrap it up in something that will hold the ointment in place on your skin and it needs to stay on for several hours. I'd prefer you try and go now so I don't have to reapply this again later." Rachel said as she began digging for something in the closet.

"Oh, umm, okay." Anna said as she tried to lift herself off the bed and groaned.

"Woah, woah, where do you think you're going?" Rachel said gently pushing her back down on the bed once she saw her trying to get up.

"The bathroom." Anna groaned with her eyes clenched shut from the pain.

"I've got your bathroom right here." Rachel said holding up something in a black pouch. "Unless you need to do more than pee."

"No, just need to pee." Anna admitted with a blush as she eyed the black pouch suspiciously.

"I'm not going to lie; it's going to sting when you go." Rachel said as she unzipped the pouch and pulled Emily's old urinal out. "So go as quickly as possible, i'll clean you, and then begin applying the ointment which should relieve the burn right away. Open your legs again and i'll slide this against you." Rachel said as Anna's face changed from red to slightly purple as she slowly did as she was told thankful the woman had shoved Emily out.

"Mrmmgh." Anna moaned once it came in contact with her skin. She let a few drops out once Rachel said it was ok to go, but stopped immediately from the pain. "Ahh! I can't do this; it hurts!"

"Well this will teach you not to forget toilet paper next time." Rachel said. "You haven't even gone at all; I need you to go more. Just try and let it out all at once; it's only going to hurt worse if you keep starting and stopping."

"Argh." Anna moaned in pain as she tried relaxing once again.

"Just give it a push." Rachel suggested as she held the girls thrashing legs down after Anna nodded and strained as she began to fill the bottle Rachel held between her legs as Anna yelled obviously in too much pain to be embarrassed. "That a girl; good job." Rachel praised once Anna had finished. Rachel quickly replaced the bottle with a wet wipe as she cleaned off any excess urine off of the girls skin before she began applying the ointment.

Anna breathed a sigh of relief when the goop made contact with her skin instantly relieving the stinging and burning relieving herself had caused. "What is that stuff?" Anna mumbled as she spread her legs wider to allow Rachel access everywhere.

"It's one of Emily's homemade recipes. Pretty handy stuff, huh?" Rachel said beaming with pride.

"Feels so good." Anna mumbled until she felt a finger insert itself inside of her as she let out an eep.

"Sorry, have to spread it everywhere." Rachel said. "Since it burned so much with peeing it means you got it inside of you as well." she explained as she twisted her goop covered finger around inside the entrance of Anna's hole who was just glad the burning was subsiding. Suddenly a new powerful sensation took hold of Anna as she let out an unintentional moan. Rachel quickly removed her finger as she saw the effect it was having on Anna and worked at her inner thighs instead. Anna suddenly tried to grab herself but was thwarted by Rachel.

"What is that stuff?!" she moaned crossing and uncrossing her legs. "What's it doing?"

"Why what's wrong?" Rachel asked puzzled until she noticed what was going on between the girls legs.

"It-it tingles and it's-it's Ahh! It's too much!" Anna moaned as Rachel blushed and stared wide eyed at the reactions it was causing to the young girls genitals that had begun to contract.

"I've never...seen this kind of reaction before." Rachel muttered. "I've also never had to put it on anyones genitals either. Are you sexually active?"

"Yes." Anna mumbled.

"Is this...making you...excited?" Rachel asked medically curious as Anna nodded grimacing. "That's really interesting. I wonder if the same thing would happen if it was applied onto someone who wasn't. Maybe if I had Emily…"

"This is torture!" Anna moaned while she tried to close her legs again, but Rachel held them open.

"Hmm…" Rachel said. "Just try and bear it, hopefully it will stop soon; it's just going to start burning again if I wipe it off. Once I finish applying the ointment, I'll wrap everything up. It will be cold so hopefully it will calm you down." Rachel explained while the girl on the bed fought against Rachel and panted as her face flushed with different colors. "Just try and think of something else." Rachel said as she went back to coating the girls inner thighs and bottom.

"Emily!" Rachel yelled when she was done. "I put something in the freezer for Anna! Would you bring it here please? My hands are gooey!"

"Yeah, sure!" They heard until a few moments later Emily opened the door and stuck her arm in handing Rachel a frozen...diaper?! "Alright, sweetie, this should help with the swelling and calm you down." She explained as she unfolded it and slid it under Anna, whose eyes nearly popped out from the sudden cold. "You're all set." Rachel said after taping the garment around her waist and throwing away her gloves. "I know it's a diaper, but don't use it!" Rachel stressed. "You are going to be hurtin' if you do."

"Mmm." Anna moaned as she shifted her weight around trying to focus on the coldness under her butt and in her crotch to relieve her desire for sex. "Thank you, Rachel…. for doing this." She managed to say while the black haired woman covered her back up with a sheet.

"Don't worry, once you're feeling better, Delia will probably put you two to work in the restaurant." Rachel said eliciting a groan from Emily.

"Don't remember waiting tables being a part of nursing." Emily complained under her breath.

"Fine, you want to play nurse? Start telling me what you did differently in this ointment." Rachel said.

"What makes you think I did anything different?" Emily said crossing her arms. "Fine, I had an idea that if blood flow was increased to the affected areas then the healing time would be reduced." Emily said as Rachel sighed and shook her head.

"That's all good and well, but don't you remember where Anna had to have it applied?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah, so?" Emily said looking puzzled as she stared at the pained expression on Anna's face who continued to whimper and shuffle about.

"And do you know what happens when blood flow is increased to sexual organs?" Rachel asked sighing again when Emily shook her head. "Sit down; it's time to talk."

"About what?" Emily asked nervously as she took a seat on the edge of the bed next to Anna.

"Sex." Rachel said rolling her eyes as the two girls on the bed simultaneously blushed. "Look." She said after a sigh. "How do your lips feel after I rubbed that stuff on?" Rachel asked ignoring Anna's question of "mine or hers?"

"They're all tingly; It feels nice." Emily said.

"Uh-huh, alright, now imagine that feeling down below." Rachel said as Emily's eyes suddenly went wide in understanding. "You just made an aphrodisiac, and judging from the amount of discomfort your friends in, a powerful one at that."

"Sorry, Anna, I had no idea that would happen." Emily said grimacing at the look of discomfort on her friends face.

"I'm going to kill you when I can move again." Anna said rolling over onto her side so that her back was to Emily.

"Try and get some rest, dear." Rachel said patting Anna's head and removing the girls glasses before setting them on the nightstand next to her. "I don't think I'll need to remind you of the consequences and pain you would feel later if you try to touch yourself." Rachel whispered into her ear knowingly causing Anna's face to glow bright red. "Just try and put up with it." She said dragging Emily out the door with her before closing it leaving Anna alone in the room. Once their footsteps could no longer be heard, Anna immediately grabbed her glasses off the table and broke out the diary again to continue reading.

…...

"So tell me about your travels." Mrs. Ketchum said from her spot on the couch with Namine in her lap purring away while Mrs. Ketchum lightly stroked her fur.

"I didn't get very far." Emily admitted with a grin. "Never got past the forest."

"Did you get lost again?" Mrs. Ketchum sighed shaking her head while Emily shrugged. "So what happened to your friend? I didn't even get to say hi."

"She should be taking a nap." Rachel said joining the others on the couch. "Poor thing tried to use poison oak as toilet paper."

"Ooh." Delia said grimacing. "What was her name, Emmy? You need to properly introduce me when she's feeling better."

"Yeah, I will." Emily said taking a bite out of a sandwich. "Her name's Anna."

"Anna," Mrs. Ketchum said thinking out loud. "Have I met her somewhere before? She looks familiar."

"About that." Rachel said clearing her throat. "Can I talk to you in private, Delia?"

Emily sat back as she watched the two women silently head to the back of the house as her moms bedroom door was opened and then closed. What was that about? Emily wondered as she went back to chowing down on her sandwich. She was about to ask Namine how her stay at the daycare was but was distracted by yelling coming from her moms room.

"She can't stay here!" Mrs. Ketchum shouted while Rachel tried to shush her. "She can't take my baby!"

"Delia, Emmy's almost an adult now." Rachel hissed. "She's free to come and go as she pleases now; no one's taking her. Look, I questioned her ok, she doesn't recognize her anymore. Besides, where's she going to go covered in poison oak?"

"Do you have any idea what her father could do if he found out!" Delia hissed back. "What if she figures it out?"

"From what? How could she possibly find out?" Rachel said calmly. "Izzy is dead, remember? It's not like she's going to suddenly come back and tell her what we did."

"What about your grandfather, or the Dr.?"

"They are in just as much at risk as we are. They won't tell." Rachel said trying to comfort the woman.

"RACHEL!" Everyone heard yell from Emily's room.

"I told her not to touch herself." Rachel said with a sigh. "I'll be right back, I need to go re-apply some ointment on our guests butt." She groaned leaving and entering the girls room with Emily in tow. "Let me guess…" Rachel said smirking until she saw the glare on the brunette's face.

"You... took her... from me!" Anna screamed at the top of her lungs as her body shook with deep sobs. Rachel looked at her puzzled for a moment until she saw what she was holding in her hand.

"Anna, what's wrong?" Emily asked concerned. She had never seen a look of such...hatred on her face before.

"Emmy, go visit the professor." Rachel said blocking her from Anna before she found out anymore. "I need to have a chat with your friend."

"But, Anna's-"

"I SAID LEAVE!" Rachel screamed at the now startled girl who silently took off down the hall and out the front door. Rachel stood awkwardly in the doorway watching the girl as tears of anger slid down Anna's face.

"Is-is that...Izzy?" Anna managed to choke out. "Tell me this is all a lie!" She screamed holding up the diary. Rachel sighed before closing the door behind her and barely avoiding the diary that was chucked at her head.

"Anna, try and calm down; I can explain." Rachel said motioning with her hands half-way up and extended out. "How much do you know?"

"I know that your daughter died so you stole my sister." Anna said gritting her teeth and glaring up at the woman.

"Anna, both Emily and Amy are my daughters."

"Her name ...is Izzy!" Anna yelled bending over the bed and picking up her clothes.

"Anna...there were complicated circumstances involved."

"Why?" Anna yelled as tears streamed down her face. "Why doesn't she remember me?"

"Izzy is gone, Anna. She's not coming back." Rachel said sitting next to the girl on the bed.

"But...but I don't understand. It-it said all you did was switch the bodies."

"No, Anna." Rachel said with a sigh. "We did something much worse than that. We regressed her to an infant and re-raised her as Emily."

"But what I saw that night! I've never been able to shake the images of Izzy being impaled by a tree. Why are their no scars on her stomach? How did she end up with scars on her legs then?"

"We found faint traces of a hallucinogen in her system that night. I think you were all drugged. As for the scars, we faked them." Rachel admitted. "We thought you were dead, Anna. We did what we thought was best for Izzy. From what I heard, isn't it best she grew up with us away from your father?"

"Why-why didn't you take me too!?" Anna sobbed collapsing back on the bed in a heap unleashing every emotion she had been bottling since the accident. "I lost everything! My mom, my dad, my sister! He just left me! He never even visited when I was recovering in the hospital!" She cried into her pillow leaving a trail of snot and tears into the fabric as Rachel silently rubbed the girls back and allowed her to vent. "Now I don't know what to do!"

"What do you mean, sweetie? I know it's not the same, but aren't you two close? Wouldn't you just feel closer to her knowing she's your sister you've missed so much?" Rachel asked as Anna cried even harder.

"That's why I don't know what to do! I love her!" Anna choked out.

"I'm confused; isn't that a good thing?" Rachel asked as she laid sideways wrapping her arms around the sobbing girl and bringing her closer as she gently stroked her hair.

"No! I'm IN love with her! She's my girlfriend." Anna choked out. "Now I find out she's my sister!"

"Oh." Rachel said as she stopped petting the girl's hair and stared at her. "So that's how she got poison oak in her mouth and fingers."

"Why did you regress Izzy?" Anna asked after a few minutes of silence.

"We didn't want her to experience the same pain we were in. Also I saw it as my second chance." Rachel admitted after a moment of silence to think. "I missed both Izzy and Emily's childhood because I was young. I wanted to keep them, but like the diary said, I was young and alone. I did what was best for them, but jealousy prevented me from getting any closer to Emmy until it was too late. When Emily died it came out of nowhere, and it crushed both myself and Delia. We made the choice out of longing for Emily even though we knew it would never be quite the same. She needed what we thought was a family and I needed a daughter. I've lived here with Delia since raising Emi- Izzy." She said with a sigh. "It was like this time I got to be apart of both of them growing up. Of course it would have been different if we had known you were alive. By the time we saw you on the news it was too late."

"Was she happy?" Anna asked as she tried her best to digest all this new information while Rachel nodded.

"We told everyone that she had had a stroke, and that berries had saved her life. That's how she became so interested in them. Regressing her seemed to have opened up more of her brain to learn and absorb new things."

"I can't forgive you. You killed my sister, but I guess I can understand why you did it." Anna said as she looked at Rachel with her swollen red eyes. "I guess it was better than growing up with my dad."

"Just so you know, Izzy was adopted. You and Emily have no biological relationship." Rachel said but Anna just shook her head. "Just something to think about." Rachel said covering the girl back up with the sheet before making her way to the light and turning it off. "Anything you want?"

"Izzy." Anna mumbled as she closed her eyes from the emotional exhaustion and fell asleep.