A Prayer for Love

April 4th was my brother, David Frost’s birthday. While I lay alone, helpless, down on my last breath, my parents sat together at home, celebrating the birthday of their beloved son. A sharp pain suddenly clenched at my heart, and tears blurred my vision, making it impossible to see the calendar in the lobby or the nurse’s face.“So, being a ghost is just like being alive… you can cry, you can feel pain...” I thought to myself.The nurse seemed as stunned as I was. After a long pause, she gathered herself, her voice quivering slightly as she conveyed the news of my death to my parents.“Could you please let us know when the family will come to arrange for the death certificate, claim the body, and—”Before she could finish, a sharp voice on the other end interrupted her.“Claim the body? We’ve severed all ties with her. She’s not part of our family anymore. Do whatever you want with her. We don’t care.“Bury her, burn her—just don’t bother us again. You’ve ruined our day.”

I stood frozen in place, too stunned to move. I glanced at the shoe rack by the door and then at the brand-new slippers on the floor. Everything felt strangely unsettling.Something was off, I was sure of it.My parents had never liked me. They never willingly bought me anything. Even when the school required uniform purchases, if I asked them for money, they would complain about how I was such a burden.I was still lost in thought when Mommy spoke. She sounded concerned."What’s wrong, Celeste? Why aren’t you coming in? "I made a huge spread for you. Dinner’s ready."I nodded hurriedly and slipped on the slippers. They were a size smaller than the shoes I usually wore, but somehow, I still felt a sense of warmth in my chest.So what if they were a bit tight? After all, this was the first time in two lifetimes that Daddy had ever bought something for me.The atmosphere at the dinner table felt even stranger. Daddy and David grinned at me, their smiles were not

After swallowing two pills with a sip of water, I lay down on the bed. Perhaps it was the brightness of the moonlight outside, or maybe my unsettled thoughts, but sleep eluded me no matter how long I tossed and turned. Finally, I sat up and pulled out the emancipation agreement I had tucked into my bag. My fingers lingered on its edges as I deliberated. After what felt like an eternity, I exhaled and tore the paper into tiny pieces. As I flushed the shredded fragments down the toilet, I was surprised by an overwhelming sense of relief that came over me. I caught my reflection in the mirror. My red-rimmed eyes were filled with reproach. "You fool," the other me seemed to say. "Haven't you learned your lesson? Have you already forgotten how they treated you in your other life?" I shook my head, as though trying to refute her silent accusations, but when I looked again, the mirror had returned to normal. It was just my exhaustion talking. I sighed deeply and rested my fo

After getting some clarity that night, I felt a lot more at ease. Even during dinner, I found a sense of comfort as I ate the eggs Mommy handed me. Then an unexpected thought crossed my mind, and I blurted it out without thinking. "Can we go back to our hometown today? To visit Grandma's grave… is that alright?"As soon as I mentioned Grandma, both of my parents' expressions changed. I immediately knew I had said something wrong but I stubbornly waited for their response.After all, Grandma had been the one person who treated me the best when she was alive. After she passed away, I would visit her grave every year. But this year, in my previous life, I was diagnosed with cancer and didn't make it past April 4th.If life and death cannot be changed, and I am destined to leave, then I wanted to make sure Grandma was properly cared for before I went. I feared that no one else would honor her after my passing. She had endured a lifetime of hardship and I often prayed tha

I had too much to drink and woke frequently in the night. As I tiptoed toward the bathroom for what felt like the hundredth time, I noticed a faint light shining through the crack of my parents' bedroom door. I was about to knock and remind them to sleep earlier when I heard David’s voice."Mommy, I'm really fed up with this life! Every day, I have to pretend to be the perfect brother to her. I’m losing my mind!"When will that bitch finally bring up the two million she won? My girlfriend is pregnant, and her family is already pushing me to get engaged!"Perhaps worried that David’s voice would carry, Daddy tried to shush him so he wouldn’t wake me up. "I put sleeping pills in her milk. She won’t wake up even if an earthquake were to hit," Mommy said, sounding slightly irritated."Does this pretending to be sick even work? I cried myself hoarse today, and she didn’t even say she’d give me the card. She's the same ungrateful wretch she had always been."But at least, you know