My Mother's Blind Faith in a Lie Collar Broke Me

On Christmas Day, my mother was getting ready to take my brother, Daniel Benson, to watch the fireworks when I felt a sudden, violent pain in my stomach.

I curled up on the floor, breaking out into a cold sweat.

"Mom… Help me… My stomach hurts…"

My voice was shaking, but the collar around my neck started flashing red like crazy.

Mom stood over me, staring down at me without a hint of emotion. She dialed the shock up to the highest setting.

"So now you're pretending to be sick just to go watch fireworks with us? How could you even think to put on such a fake show? It's revolting. You're seriously rotten to the core!"

She grabbed Daniel and walked off. The door slammed shut, and the bang made my ears ring.

I couldn't help thinking maybe she was right. Since the collar was flashing red, that meant I couldn't really be in pain.

I must just be me pretending to be pitiful and trying to get attention again.

I couldn't be any more sorry, Mom. If there were a next life, I would definitely try to become a more honest person.

"It hurts…"

The pain had me trembling all over. I clawed at the floor, leaving claw marks behind.

Just then, the doorknob suddenly turned. Hope flickered in my eyes.

Mom came back. Since she was a doctor, she must have realized something was wrong with me. She must have come back to save me.

"Are you still not done with your act? The fireworks are about to start. Danny's already getting impatient."

Standing at the doorway, she looked annoyed.

"Mom…"

Using the last bit of strength I had left to speak, I reached a hand out toward her. "It really hurts… Feels like my intestines are being torn apart…"

She glanced at the wildly flashing red light on my collar before crouching beside me.

Grabbing my chin, she angrily snapped, "Irene Benson, how long are you going to keep this up? Lying has become a habit for you, hasn't it? Stay here and reflect on yourself!"

Dad's voice came from the doorway. "Honey, hurry up. The fireworks show is about to start. Irene will be staying at home, right? Should we leave her some food?"

Standing up, Mom dusted off her hands, as if she'd just touched something dirty. "Why should we? She's got a pile of snacks in her cabinet that she bought with the money she stole last time. She won't starve."

Turning to me, she added, "Let's lock the door. She's not allowed out until that collar turns green."

Dad hesitated. "But—"

"But what?" Mom cut him off immediately. "Being too soft on kids just ruins them. Look at how well-behaved Danny is. His collar's always green. Someone like Irene is just born bad. She needs to be corrected."

But there was nothing in my cabinet at all. Daniel was the one who took that money back then. He was the one who ate those snacks, too.

He had been standing right there at the time, his collar glowing a soft green as he said it wasn't him. And Mom believed him.

But when I had said it wasn't me, the red light lit up instantly, followed by another shock to my neck.