Chapter 3

The next morning, my mother looked into my empty room and finally realized something was wrong.

"Where's Nora? She never came in last night?"

My father was drinking his coffee and didn't look up.

"What's the rush? She probably ran off somewhere to play."

But my mother's heart clenched, and she ran downstairs without even changing her shoes.

I floated after her, desperately hoping she'd find me and lift me out before my body started to smell in that hot car.

But when she reached the garage and hit the unlock button, the trunk wouldn't open. She pulled hard, but it didn't budge.

It was locked.

"What's going on? You said it wasn't locked." My mother was frantic, her forehead slick with sweat.

My father strolled over and let out a short, cold laugh.

"Your daughter must have done it on purpose. She's still sulking about last night's Halloween event. She locked herself in to make us worry until we give in.

"What did I tell you? Her temper gets worse by the day."

Tears streamed down my face.

Dad, it wasn't me. Why can't you believe me even once?

My mother frowned and was about to say something when her phone started ringing.

Her expression changed as soon as she glanced at the screen. As she called for a cab, she told him, "Daniel, something's come up at the office. I have to go. Remember to let Nora out. Just talk to her. She's a child. Don't take this too far."

My father nodded, but he didn't mean it.

Once she was gone, he linked arms with Ava and glared at the trunk.

"Your mother spoils you. I'm not as easy to fool. You can stay in there today and learn your lesson."

Then he smiled gently at Ava.

"Come on. I'll buy you some new clothes. We'll go on all the rides we missed at last night's Halloween event, too."

Ava answered sweetly. "Thank you, Dad."

I drifted along beside them, all the way to the mall.

As I watched him dress Ava like a princess, I thought of my own body lying in the trunk. I was still wearing last year's T-shirt, faded from washing and much too small.

It felt like a knife going through me.

After Ava arrived, my father cut my allowance. He hadn't bought me a single new piece of clothing since.

He said girls who lied didn't deserve pretty clothes, so I had to wear Ava's castoffs.

He was buying Ava her fifth dress when his phone rang.

It was our building's property manager, Owen Carter.

"Mr. Whitaker, there's a foul smell coming from the trunk of your car in the parking garage. We've had several complaints from residents, and we've called security. We need you to come back and deal with it right away."

My father hung up, his expression dark.

"Nora, how long are you going to keep this up? Do you want the whole building to know?"

I clenched my fists, helpless.

I didn't know why any of it was happening either.

I hadn't done anything.

By the time my father returned to the garage with Ava, Owen had taped off the parking space. A few residents who'd been on their way out with their kids for Halloween stood at a distance, covering their noses and mouths.

A little boy was crouched by a trash can, gagging. His mother had her arms around him and looked sick herself.

Our neighbor Evelyn Miller was the first to demand an explanation. "What in the world do you have in that car? My grandson walked past, caught a whiff of it, and threw up on the spot!"

Someone beside her pinched their nose and complained, "Smells like something died in there.

"We pay all that money in maintenance fees every month, and management lets a car like that sit here?"

I floated over to them, aching and ashamed, trying again and again to apologize.

"I'm sorry... it isn't a dead rat. It's me.

"My body is starting to rot. I'm so sorry."

But they couldn't hear me, and they turned all their anger on my father.

His face flushed, then went pale. As he approached the car, he was hit by the powerful stench of decay seeping through the gaps around the trunk lid.

He doubled over, braced himself against a pillar, and started gagging.

My heart leapt into my throat.

This was it.

The end of October had been unseasonably hot and muggy, with daytime temperatures approaching 86 degrees. The car had spent the night in a poorly ventilated garage. With the trunk sealed tight, my body had started to smell.

He was going to hate me even more now.

Sure enough, as soon as he could breathe again, he glared at the trunk and snapped, "Nora. That's enough."

I closed my eyes.

I'm sorry, Dad.

I didn't mean for this to happen.

Everything around us went quiet.

The residents looked at each other. The little boy's mother was the first to react. She stared at my father in disbelief.

"Wait. Your daughter is in the trunk?

"You locked a child in a car overnight?

"Oh my God, call the police! Something could have happened to her!"

The barrage of questions left my father rooted to the spot. His lips moved, but no words came out.

Then Ava spoke in her pleasant, even voice.

"There is no need for concern. My sister has behaved this way many times before. For her safety, my father adjusted the vehicle's temperature and oxygen level to keep them within safe limits. Nora's vital signs are normal.

"The odor comes from her relieving herself in the vehicle and not cleaning it up. This is an act of defiance, not a threat to her safety."