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No Little Duck Came Back

No Little Duck Came Back

Cerita Pendek · Emotional Realism
Oleh:  No CorianderTamat
Bahasa: English
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10Bab
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Sinopsis

After Death

Familial Bond

Hypocrisy

Ruthless

Biological Family

While I was on vacation with my parents, we stood on the deck overlooking the sea when my father suddenly asked, "Mother duck says quack, quack, quack, quack. But?" I was about to reply, "Only four little ducks came back," when he kicked me into the water. "What's taking you so long to finish a song? Are you cognitively arrested or what?" he barked. Cold water filled my lungs like lead as I bobbed in the waves. "Help me, Dad! I can't swim!" My mother told the captain to steer the superyacht away instead. "Then stay in the water a little longer. Self-preservation may finally make you learn to swim. That's what you need. Real grit and adversity to unlock your potential." I flailed my arms and fought to stay afloat, but panic took over. My right leg cramped and refused to move. I could only watch the superyacht fade into the horizon. I drifted for a while before I could catch up with my parents' superyacht. I wished I could tell them how many ducks came back, but they would never hear my voice again.

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10 Bab
Chapter 1
My parents clinked their glasses and smiled."Finally. That useless waste of space can rot at the bottom of the ocean and become fish food. Our family has never needed him, not when we already have Amber."I hovered in the air and watched the look of disgust on my father's face when he mentioned me. The sight startled me. I had not realized how little I meant to him for so long.My mother took her seat at the white grand piano and let her fingers move across the keys. Liebesträume by Franz Liszt filled the air, light and delicate.When she finished, Amber, my older sister, ran up and kissed her cheek. "That was fantastic, Mom. I don't know why Jesse used to claim he couldn't hear what you were playing. It had to be an act. He was jealous of how much you love me, Mom."My mother tapped Amber's nose with a fond smile. "He's tone-deaf and completely lacking in musical talent. Of course he would say something like that."I drifted toward the piano and reached for a key. My teacher ha
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Chapter 2
"The superyacht was moving too fast, and the waves were high. We lost Mr. Jesse," the captain admitted.My father splashed wine across the man's face. "What does any of that have to do with me, you idiots? Go find him! Why should I have to tell you the obvious?"The commotion startled my mother. She approached with a frown. "What's wrong? That useless little thing still hasn't come up on deck?"My father tugged his tie down in irritation and unbuttoned his collar. "The bodyguard said he hasn't been following us. They're searching now."My mother sneered, showing no concern, "Oh, I see. He's hiding behind an emergency float or somewhere like that. It's just another stunt for attention. I've seen it before. Once, he hid in a closet and refused to come out just to avoid piano practice.""But that isn't it," I screamed.Back then, my ears hurt. My hearing aid had broken, and every sound had been unbearable. I couldn't take it anymore, so I had tried to escape the noise.My mother co
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Chapter 3
"I've never said anything like that, Amber! You told me to count how many little ducks there were, so Dad would finally love me when I got it right!"Amber could not see me. She finished the last of her ice cream, licked her lips in satisfaction, and grinned sweetly. "Dad, don't worry. Jesse is old enough to take care of himself. He'll come back."My father nodded and gently draped his coat over her shoulders. "I know, sweetie. I'm glad I can always rely on you. Come on, let's go inside for the cake."My parents and sister retreated into the comfort of their warm cabin. I could hear their muffled laughter and cheer through the thick window, yet I could not enter.They cut into a massive three-layer cake. Amber fed the first piece to my father and the second to my mother. They broke into laughter, like one big happy family.It stung. I never felt like I had a place among them.I turned to the sea. My body bobbed in and out of the water, drifting alone toward the distant abyss, car
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Chapter 4
I knew what that meant. My body was sinking.The watch had always been too tight. I could never take it off. Now both of us were sinking into a cold, pitch-black abyss of water.My father pulled out a cigarette, his movements sharp with impatience. It took him several tries to light it."Call the authorities. Make it their problem," he instructed. "When we finally get that no-good brat back home, he's going to be locked in the basement without food for at least three days."…The coast guard arrived quickly. Two patrol boats and a lifeboat pulled into the harbor.Captain Cameron Meyer studied the red dot on the screen, his expression grave. "Are you sure this indicates a watch he threw away, not the boy himself?"My father exhaled smoke and avoided the captain's gaze."Look, he definitely threw it away. He's a strong swimmer. There's no way he's stupid enough to stay in one spot for that long," he said in a flat tone. "Check nearby islands or boats. See if anyone's spotted him
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Chapter 5
That was my shoe. My grandmother had bought it at a dollar store.My mother had tried to throw it away several times. She thought it looked cheap and trashy. She claimed I was humiliating the family by wearing it.However, I could never let it go. It was the only birthday present I had ever received. I kept it clean at all times and drew a small smiley face on it."That's… That's Jesse's shoe," my mother whispered, her voice shaking.She reached out to touch it, then pulled her hand back. "No. How could he lose his shoe? That's impossible. He just kicked it away so he could swim faster!""Exactly! That little brat always liked running barefoot!" my father insisted, his voice breaking. He trembled. "Find him! I want the person, not this stupid junk! Find him!""No, Mom and Dad. The shoe came off because I was kicking the water as hard as I could. When the freak wave hit me, I tried to stay afloat by kicking harder, and the wave took my shoe. I was so scared. I wanted to scream for
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Chapter 6
"What's that? He stole something, didn't he? I knew he was a little thief!" my father snarled.I had not known he saw me that way on top of being useless.The scientist frowned at my father's outburst but said nothing. He took out a pair of pliers and slowly began to pry my fingers open.My fingers were so waterlogged that the delicate digital bones gave way at the slightest pressure. The snap sounded like my body's last protest before my hand finally loosened.I had been clutching a transparent ziplock bag, the kind my grandmother used to store her blood pressure medicine.The scientist opened it carefully and removed a folded piece of paper.The bag had protected it from the water. Only the edges were slightly damp.Crayon marks covered the page, words mixed with simple musical notation. The title read, "A Song for Mom."[One little duck went out one day. A home from my dad not far away. Daddy duck said quack quack quack. That little duck came home right away.One little duc
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Chapter 7
I watched them cry without emotion. I no longer wanted cake or piano lessons."My condolences, but please allow me to continue the examination," the forensic scientist said, cutting in. He took out a flashlight and began to inspect my face.When the beam reached my ear canals, he let out a startled "Oh."He reached in with forceps and pulled something out. It was an old in-the-canal hearing aid, tinted to match my skin. It had lodged deep in my ear, and its outer shell had yellowed from years of wear. The battery cover hung loose, held in place with strips of tape that had failed.He raised the hearing aid toward my parents. "Your child suffered from hearing loss, didn't he?"My parents stared at the small device in confusion, as if they had never seen it before."That can't be right! He's fine. He can hear us. He even responds.""He's just a little slow sometimes. You have to call him a few times, that's all."The scientist set the hearing aid on a tray and gave a short, disbe
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Chapter 8
My mother's fists began to bleed from the force.My father stared blankly at the hearing aid. "No wonder he kept staring at my lips on the boat. He was trying so hard to listen to me… and I… I kicked him off the deck! I killed him! I've murdered my own son!"He suddenly pulled a fruit knife from his waist. He had used it to slice Amber's cake, but now he drove it into his right foot. "It was you! This foot killed him! I'll cut you off from me!"Blood gushed from the wound.The coast guards and the forensic scientist froze in shock, then rushed forward to pry the knife from his hand. "Mr. Folly!"My father seemed to have lost all sense of pain. He laughed and cried at the same time, his face smeared with blood. "This doesn't hurt! This doesn't hurt at all! Jesse's suffering is worse than this! I have to keep him company out there, at sea!"I sighed as I watched my parents lose their minds. Now they understood the pain, but it would never match what I felt when I was kicked off the
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Chapter 9
The footage continued for three more minutes. My strength gave out, and I could no longer struggle.When I was a child, my parents taught me to speak by shaping words with my mouth. I turned to the camera and mouthed, "Goodbye."The footage ended.A tearful, wrenching wail tore through the interrogation room. My father slammed his hand against the table in regret. My mother fainted from grief.The police officers turned off the footage and looked at them with contempt and anger. "Jason and Lucy Folly, you have committed manslaughter and child abuse. Your daughter is not even 14, yet she has already shown deeply troubling behavior."I watched it unfold and felt some of my resentment ease. The truth was finally out. Everyone now knew I was never a useless burden. I had been a good kid.…My funeral was simple. There was no need for anything lavish for a life lost so young.My grandparents attended. My grandmother nearly fainted several times as she wailed.At last, she pointed a
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Chapter 10
"I'm taking you home, Jesse. I won't force you to learn anything ever again. Please come back…"I stood behind her and gently patted her head with my phantom-like hand. I knew I could not touch her, but I still wanted to comfort her.I wanted to tell her, "I'm not in pain anymore, Mom. Don't cry. I'm going to count ducks now… There, I can hear everything clearly. Every beautiful sound there is…"My spirit began to fade. A warm, soft light broke through the clouds and shone down on me. It was my guide. My time had come.I looked at the world one last time and thought of my parents' regretful faces."Goodbye, Mom, Dad. I no longer hate you, but I do not want to be your child anymore. I just want to be reborn as a free little duck, flying over the hills whenever I please. No one will call me stupid or kick me into the water again. All I will hear are songs and melodies of joy, forever and ever…"…Three years later, a madwoman sat in her wheelchair and stared blankly at the sea. An
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