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Pills

Ada had always been the practical type. She was the kind of woman who arranged her wardrobe by color and planned her meals a month in advance. But when her long-time boyfriend, Emeka, broke up with her via a WhatsApp message—"complete with emojis"—Ada’s meticulously organized world came crashing down. She found herself in a whirlpool of sadness, sitting on the couch in her Ankara pajamas, clutching a bowl of jollof rice like it was a life raft in a sea of despair.

Her best friends, Tola and Jessica, visited one evening for a pep talk. They each brought their own unique methods for mending a broken heart. Tola, the self-proclaimed “guru of positive vibes,” offered Ada some agate stones and a playlist of Afrobeat meditation music. Jessica, however, was more of a "let’s forget this ever happened" kind of friend. She discreetly handed Ada a small, colorful pill, winking as she said, “This will help you relax. Trust me.”

Ada thought nothing of it. She assumed it was just a slightly stronger version of the herbal sleep aid she occasionally took when her mind wouldn’t stop racing. So, later that night, when her heartache became unbearable, she swallowed the pill and climbed into bed, hoping for a dreamless...