Forgotten Six Feet Under

My grandmother was so furious she could hardly catch her breath. "How did I end up with such a heartless child like you? I hadn't heard from her in the two months I was abroad. I'd been worried sick while I was abroad, and now I can't even reach her since I came back. You must've bullied her! She's living with you, isn't she? Get her on the phone right now!" My mother hesitated, shooting a glance at my father. Two months ago, Flynn had an impulsive idea to go camping in the restricted Wild Valley. I knew it was risky, but I was eager to bond with my family and had even taken time off work. I never expected Scarlett would fall into the water. When she was pulled out, she immediately accused me of pushing her. My mother slapped me several times in a fit of rage, completely ignoring my attempts to explain, left me in the wild. Little did they know, I never made it out of those woods.After two months of silence, they couldn't contact me now, yet my mother still managed to calmly co

The next day, there was still no news of me in the family. My grandmother showed up at the door bright and early. "Grandma!" I exclaimed, floating over in delight. Since my death, I had often wished to see her again, but my spirit was tethered by my mother's presence, making it impossible to leave. Thankfully, my grandmother had come to me. To see her one more time made my departure feel a little less sorrowful. Before I could even touch her, Flynn barreled over, affectionately calling out, "Grandma!" Over the years, Flynn had been charming my grandmother by leveraging our relationship. With my support, she had long accepted him as her 'grandson', even without any blood ties. She had no intention of acting aloof with him either. Gently pulling Flynn down beside her, she said, "Look at you, all grown up, and still so loud! Where's your sister?" "Scarlett!" Flynn shouted. Scarlett immediately came running out. "Grandma, you're here!" When my grandmother saw her, the w

As soon as my mother answered the phone, she launched into a tirade. "You little brat, can you stop goading your grandmother into getting mad at me?"The voice on the other end was somber. "Hello, is this Whitney Patterson's family?"Hearing a man's voice made my mother frown. "What's going on? Why do you have Whitney's phone?""We found Whitney's ID and her phone in a rental apartment. Can you please come to the police station to verify some information?"My mother's furrowed brow relaxed slightly. "So that brat really moved out. She's always stirring up trouble." She hung up and resumed her meal nonchalantly. Scarlett glanced nervously at her. "Mom, isn't that about Whitney?""She lost her phone, and the police are asking us to get it. It can wait; we'll go after we finish eating."Scarlett's face tightened with worry. "Mom, I should go. Whitney is my sister, after all."My mother praised her for being so considerate before agreeing. I stood beside my mother, disappointm

In the interrogation room, my mother held Scarlett close, her voice soothing yet firm. "I'm the guardian of this child. You can direct all the questions at me. Scarlett is still young; she can't handle being scared like this."Scarlett nestled against my mother while trembling slightly, looking genuinely pitiful and helpless.The officers exchanged glances, one of them smirking, "She's twenty-six; she's not that young!"My mother gently patted Scarlett's back, trying to calm her nerves. She raised her gaze to the officers. "I understand you're just doing your job, but Scarlett truly knows nothing. Even though she and Whitney are sisters, they live their own lives.""We received a report that someone was caught gambling in a rented apartment yesterday. The officers in Acturia found some of Whitney's belongings in that apartment. Was it Scarlett who went to retrieve them?"My mother paused, her mind racing. "Yes. I just handed over her phone and ID. But I thought the person was a th

The news of my tragic and despairing death shattered my mother, bringing her to the brink of collapse. Every day, she clung to the silk scarf I had gifted her, tears flowing freely as she held it close. My father, though in deep pain, managed to maintain a certain restraint, embodying the stoicism expected of men. He took care of my mother, who seemed lost in a fog of grief, working tirelessly to keep their fractured family together. Aunt Lillian came to comfort my mother, sharing stories that my mother had never had the patience to hear before. "Do you remember when Whitney was in elementary school?" Aunt Lillian asked gently. "She entered an art competition and would spend every evening after finishing her homework, sketching away until late into the night. She didn't feel tired at all! When she won, she rushed home to show you first. She loved you so much, always thinking of you. "But on the walls of your home, only the awards and artwork of your other two children were