Whispers in the Dark

Interview #9

"A Mother's Grief: Margaret Woods on Jeff's Descent into Darkness"

Interviewer: "Thank you for continuing to share your story with us, Mrs. Woods. Can you describe the moment you realized what Jeff had done to himself?"

Margaret Woods: (sighs deeply) "It's still hard to talk about, but I think it's important for people to understand just how much he was hurting. After Jeff went missing, we found his notebook and some of his things in his room. Reading through his journal entries was heartbreaking. He was in so much pain, both physically and mentally, and we had no idea how deep it went."

Interviewer: "What did you find in the notebook?"

Margaret Woods: "The entries were filled with his thoughts and feelings, but there was one that stood out. It was from the day he ran out of the cafeteria. He wrote about how the whispers in his head were getting louder and how he scared Troy as a way to feel some control. Then, he talked about running home and how he couldn't take the humiliation anymore."

Interviewer: "That must have been difficult to read."

Margaret Woods: "It was. But the hardest part was reading about what he did to himself. He wrote about looking in the mirror and seeing his scars, feeling like he had become a monster. The hallucination he described... it was like there was another part of him, pushing him to do it."

Interviewer: "What exactly did he do?"

Margaret Woods: (voice trembling) "He took a knife and carved a smile into his own face. He described the pain and how it felt like a release, but also how he hesitated, how he didn't want to become that monster. But in the end, the darkness inside him took over. When he was found, the smile was still fresh, and the look in his eyes... it was like he was lost, completely lost."

Interviewer: "How did you react when you found out?"

Margaret Woods: (wiping away tears) "I was devastated. I felt like I had failed him as a mother. How could I not have seen how much he was struggling? How could I not have done more to help him? It's something I'll carry with me for the rest of my life. I just hope that wherever he is now, he knows that we loved him and that we tried our best to help him."

Interviewer: "What would you want people to take away from Jeff's story?"

Margaret Woods: "I want people to understand the importance of mental health, especially for kids who are going through tough times. It's not just about the physical scars; it's the emotional and psychological ones that can be even more damaging. We need to be there for each other, to listen, and to offer help before it's too late."

Interviewer: "Thank you, Mrs. Woods, for your bravery in sharing Jeff's story. It's a powerful reminder of the impact of mental health and the importance of support."

Margaret Woods: "Thank you. I just hope that by sharing his story, we can prevent something like this from happening to someone else."