She Died Before the Podium

The chemical hit my face and everything exploded into pure fucking agony.

"This is for every clean athlete you cheated!" Emma Rodriguez screamed from somewhere in the chaos. "Die, you fraud!"

I couldn't see. Couldn't breathe. My skin was literally melting off my face. The crowd was going crazy, shouting and cheering like they were watching some sick show.

But through all that pain, I caught sight of her.

Madison Reed. My sweet little step-sister. Standing there at the edge of the crowd, not rushing to help me. Not screaming. Just... watching.

And she looked satisfied.

You fucking bitch. The realization hit me harder than the chemical burn. You planned this whole thing.

I was dying anyway. Might as well take her with me.

"Madison!" I lunged forward, my legs barely working. "If I'm going to hell, you're coming with me!"

I grabbed her arm and we crashed straight through the training facility's upper railing.

"Gabriella, no! Help me—" she screamed as we fell.

The concrete rushed up fast. Then nothing.

I jolted awake, gasping for air that didn't burn my lungs.

Fluorescent lights hummed overhead. The familiar scent of chalk and sweat filled my nostrils. My hands flew to my face – smooth skin, no chemical burns, no scars.

What the fuck?

I was lying on a bench in the USA Gymnastics National Training Camp locker room. The sounds of practice echoed from the main gym – coaches shouting corrections, the thud of bodies hitting mats, the creak of equipment.

Six months before the Olympics. I realized, my heart hammering against my ribs. The training camp.

But how? I had died. I remembered the fall, the impact, the—

A soft rustling sound made me freeze. Through the gap between lockers, I spotted a figure crouched next to my water bottle on the bench across from me.

Madison Reed. My darling step-sister. With a small glass vial in her hand.

The memory hit me like a physical blow.

The medal ceremony. Paris 2024. Three days of glory before it all came crashing down.

I stood on the highest podium, tears streaming down my face as the Star-Spangled Banner played. The gold medal around my neck felt like vindication for every sacrifice, every hour of training, every moment of pain.

Then came the press conference that destroyed everything.

"Miss Torres, your Olympic title is hereby revoked due to positive drug test results."

That IOC official's voice echoed in the conference room. Cameras flashed like crazy as they ripped the medal from my hands.

"This is impossible!" I had choked out. "I never... I would never..."

But they had proof. Anabolic steroids in my blood. Performance enhancers I never fucking took. What I didn't know then was that the cocktail Madison had been feeding me wasn't just steroids - it was designed to work in stages.

Then came the IOC hearing where my own family lined up to destroy me.

Madison sat there in her white dress, fake tears rolling down her cheeks.

"She threatened me," Madison sobbed into the microphone. "Said if I didn't help her get the drugs, she'd make sure I never competed again."

I remember staring at her from across that courtroom, watching my sweet little step-sister lie with perfect conviction. The same girl who used to braid my hair was destroying my entire life with practiced ease.

That's when I knew. She hadn't just been involved - she had orchestrated everything.

The memories hit me like a sledgehammer. Every betrayal, every lie. Now I understood the truth.

Madison was still crouched by my water bottle, carefully dropping clear liquid from the vial. The same bottle I had drunk from before collapsing during training in my previous life.

I know exactly what's in that shit. I watched her work. Not just the steroids that would destroy my career in drug tests, but whatever fast-acting poison made me pass out during training that day.

I can't believe it. My hands started shaking as the realization hit me. She's actually doing it again. Right fucking now.

The rage built slowly, like a fire catching in my chest. This little bitch thought she could destroy me twice.

"Good morning, Gabby," she said, her voice artificially sweet. "You're up early today. I made you an electrolyte drink."

I walked over slowly, watching her try to hide that dropper behind her back.

"Madison," I said, my voice carrying across the suddenly quiet space, "want to explain what that is?"

She blinked rapidly, those practiced innocent eyes working overtime. "I... I don't know what you mean, Gabby. I was just trying to help you with your hydration—"

"Help me?" I cut her off, my laugh sharp enough to cut glass. "With what exactly? Poison?"

Madison's hands trembled as she clutched the dropper. "Gabby, I really was just trying to help you with electrolytes. The nutritionist recommended this formula..."

The familiar manipulation tactic—that vulnerable tone, acting like the caring little sister. In my previous life, I would have believed her. I would have apologized for doubting her. I would have been the perfect victim.

Not anymore.

I snatched the bottle of "electrolyte drink" she'd been preparing for me, the one she'd been so carefully doctoring with whatever chemical cocktail was in that dropper.

The clear liquid sloshed innocently, but I knew better.

"If it's so good for me," I said, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper, "then you drink it first."

Madison's eyes went wide with panic. "What? Gabby, I don't need—"

"Drink it." I yanked her up by her ponytail, making her yelp. "Drink it all, every last fucking drop."

"Please, Gabby, I feel sick..." Her voice cracked, and I could see her calculating whether tears would work this time.

I leaned down until my face was inches from hers. "Sick? You haven't seen sick yet, you manipulative little bitch."

Without waiting for another pathetic excuse, I grabbed her jaw and forced the bottle between her lips. Madison clawed at my wrists, but I pressed harder, tilting the bottle until the liquid flooded her mouth.

"Swallow or drown," I hissed.

She choked and sputtered, liquid streaming down her chin, but I didn't let go. I could feel her throat working desperately as she was forced to gulp it down.

"Every. Last. Drop."

When the bottle was empty, I finally released her. Madison collapsed to her knees, gasping and retching.

Within minutes, she was doubled over, vomiting violently onto the floor. Her whole body convulsed as she heaved, strings of bile and whatever else hanging from her lips. Her ponytail was now matted with sweat and vomit.

"Oh my God..."

"What the hell just happened?"

"Is she okay?"

"Should we call someone?"

But nobody moved to help her. They just stood there, frozen.

I crouched down next to Madison's writhing form. "How does it feel?" I whispered just loud enough for her to hear. "This is what you wanted to do to me."

Madison could only whimper in response, her face pale and slick with sweat.

I stood back and watched her suffer, feeling pure electricity course through my veins.

Perfect. I watched her convulse on the floor like a poisoned rat. And this is just the fucking beginning.