Yesterday, I found a small diary inside my elementary school uniform I had been keeping in my closet. I recognized it because it had my name carved on its cover, but I do not have any memories of writing them. Nonetheless, I decided to read it out of curiosity, and also because my oldest memory starts when I was twelve. I was eager to see what I was like as a kid, so I started reading. But now I'm regretting it. Although it has saved my life, it has also planted an unbearable sense of pure terror inside my mind. I noticed something was wrong as soon as I started reading the stories about my father because I never had one. As far as I can remember, I've lived only with my mom and grandma for my entire life, even after entering uni.

​

I'm sharing this on Reddit for two reasons: one, for advice as to how I can keep mom from finding grandma, and two, as evidence to prove that my grandma's death was a premeditated murder in case she gets killed. Yes, my mom is trying to kill her, and probably me too. You'll see what I mean after reading the diary I am about to post.

​

​

March 12th, 2008 (pg 1~2)

I don't normally write diaries, but I'm writing one because my parents are stressing me out. Mom has been really angry for the past few days and is yelling at dad for some reason. When I go outside my room to hear what's going on, they keep forcing me to bed. I think they are talking about money. I can't tell for sure because I can't hear properly. I want to know what is going on. Maybe there is something I can do to help.

​

March 15th, 2008 (pg 3~4)

I figured out why mom has been so mad. Dad had lost his job. This is bad news for our family because mom doesn't seem to be earning a lot of money either. My parents had told me that my mom used to work as a chemist when I was a baby. I wonder what her job is now.

​

March 17th, 2008 (pg 5~6)

A call came from my homeroom teacher to tell mom that I wasn't looking really good for the past three days. Then she asked mom if there was any trouble, and mom told me to come over and reply that I was just sick for a few days. Although that wasn't true, the look on mom's face forced me to do it. I never knew she could look so scary.

​

March 19th, 2008 (pg 7~8)

Mom is weird these days. She looks nervous most of the time, as if waiting for something. She always carries her phone with her and receives these strange phone calls every few hours. Every time she picks it up, she becomes delighted and starts saying things like her name, dad's name, date of birth, and so on. I still do not know what is happening.

​

March 20th, 2008 (pg 9~10)

Dad came home tonight holding a bundle of paper. He was a bit drunk and dropped them on the ground, so I ran toward him to help. But mom suddenly appeared and blocked my way. She looked furious.

"These papers are for adults to read, Jacob!" she yelled. I started crying. I was only trying to help, and I couldn't understand. Dad came over to soothe me and I felt a little better.

​

​

Several pages have been ripped off from here, and the diary continues from page 17.

​

​

March 26th, 2008 (pg 17~18)

Mom is getting angrier every day. Tonight she yelled at dad for not paying all of his insurance. Dad started getting angry too and yelled back.

"If you're so worried about money, why don't you go out and start earning some?! Huh?!"

The rest of the things they said were too difficult for me to understand.

​

March 27th, 2008 (pg 19)

Today is a meaningful day. Mom apologized for being mean to me and dad recently. She told him that he didn't have to go looking for work anymore, and I haven't seen dad smile so happily in weeks. I'm so glad things are back to normal.

​

March 29th, 2008 (pg 20~21)

It was Saturday today, so mom and dad went outside for a drive. I took this chance and entered mom's room to find the Nintendo I had been longing to play with, but instead found a paper of writing on her desk. It had a weird title: 'Death Benefit'. How could someone possibly benefit from dying? I couldn't understand.

​

March 30th, 2008 (pg 22)

There is a sleepover at school with my friends tomorrow. I'm really excited about it, but also a bit worried about catching up on all the school work. I hope the teachers don't scold me too badly.

​

March 31th, 2008 (pg 23~25)

This morning, I woke up early and heard the sound of mom making breakfast. I went to the kitchen for some water and saw her pour some kind of liquid into a bowl. There were three bowls ready, one for each of us, but she poured it into just one of them. That's a bit odd, I thought, but who cares. She's a great cook, so she knows what she's doing. All I had to do was eat. While cooking, she was talking to someone on the phone with dad's heavy snoring as background noise.

"Honey, Jacob has a sleepover today and won't be coming back home until tomorrow evening, so today would be the perfect day to do it. We can take him to the psychiatrist after he returns."

I couldn't really make out that last sentence, but she must be planning a special meal for my sleepover. What a day for me. I'm writing this right after finishing breakfast because it's time for me to ride the school bus, and I won't be taking my diary with me to school. My friends will make fun of it.

​

April 2nd, 2008 (pg 26~27)

My father died. He died yesterday, but mom hadn't been in the house to help him. She had gone out to buy groceries when it happened. Police officers say that a lethal amount of hydrochloric acid was found in his dead body. I feel so guilty because if I had left my house just a bit later, I might have been able to save him.

​

April 4th, 2008 (pg 28)

Mom told me that I would be going to the psychiatric hospital next Monday. She says I'll be receiving treatments that will help with my mental health. When I told her that I didn't want to go, she slapped me. I think she's hiding something from me, and I'm going to figure it out.

​

April 6th, 2008 (pg 29~31)

I am writing this as I hear mom talk over her phone in the living room. I pretended to be asleep until late at night, and sneaked out of bed to hear the conversation when I heard mom pick up the call.

"Yeah, he is well asleep now. Oh darling, there's no need to worry. Jacob won't remember a thing after he meets the psychiatrist. I gave him a shit ton of money for that, you know."

Jacob, that's my name. She is talking about me, about what the doctor would do to me tomorrow in the hospital. I'll be hiding this diary in a safe place, but I've got to figure out more. Now she is saying something about my age. This is what I hear her saying:

"Jacob is ten right now.. so we still have about fifteen more years to wait until we get rewarded with anything significant. I'll be working on his grandma until then. We need to make it look like a natural death this time."

Oops, I just dropped my pen and mom is no longer talking. Oh god, she is coming to my room. That's it, I'm leaping back to bed.

​

And that is the end of the diary. I must have gotten my memories deleted by that damn doctor. That's my best explanation for what is happening, because my real name, which I won't be revealing for the sake of my safety, isn't even Jacob; they must have hypnotized me or something. Anyway, today's date is February 10th, 2023, which leaves me a little less than a week before my twenty-fifth birthday. The birthday written in the last page of the diary. I have also realized that the pill mom had been feeding grandma every day as a health care routine for years was actually something highly carcinogenic, which explains why she hasn't been feeling very well for the past couple of months.

​

I stormed out of my house with grandma right after reading this diary. We are currently staying in a cheap Motel near our hometown, but mom might come looking for us anytime. As I mentioned before, my point of posting this is clear. I need help. Luckily for me, one of you fellow clever Redditors has already DMed me. This is the advice I received:

​

"Go to the nearest police station and wait there until they start working. Tell your grandma to never get out of her room and also to never open the door unless you text her to do so. Do not panic Michael, you are stronger than you think. Oh, and remember to bring your diary with you to turn it in as evidence."

​

The advice seems credible enough, so I'm on my way to meet the police officers. I'll be checking your comments constantly, so if you have better options for me, feel free to tell me anytime.