Janie Posted:

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Cerbera odollam, commonly known as the Suicide tree, is a species of tree native to India and other parts of Southern Asia. It grows preferentially in coastal salt swamps and in marshy areas. It grows wild along the coast in many parts of Kerala, India and has been grown as a hedge between home compounds. It’s a potent killer, often used for both suicide and murder.

The kernels of C. odollam contain cerberin, a potent alkaloid toxin related to digoxin, a poison found in foxglove. The poison blocks the calcium ion channels in heart muscle, causing disruption of the heart beat. This is most often fatal. Cerberin is difficult to detect in autopsies and its taste can be masked with strong spices. Therefore it is a common method in both homicide and suicide in India. According to a study made in 2004, 537 deaths can be attributed to cerberin poisonings in the 11 years between 1989 and 1999 just in the state of Kerala.

Janie… WHAT THE ****? I found this page missing in one of my books yesterday evening. Wh- why would you do something like that? Are you… is this some kind of… threat? ****. I apologize if I have… angered you somehow. I know I was abrupt with you the other day, and I’m… sorry. It’s just… well, I was trying to get some work done, and then you and Noturnal showed up and were fighting about some goddamn boots, and then that Ash kid… God, try seeing things from my point of view, ok?

Anywahs… whatever… I’m sorry if I offended you. Perhaps, um… if you’re interested, I can show you some things in my garden. I don’t have any c. odollam, because I haven’t been able to recreate the tropical salt marsh environs it prefers. But I have some hemlock and nightshade… Of course, you have to promise not to… touch anything, ok? And… please bring back that page from my book. My books are… very precious to me.