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Chapter 4

Author: Rainless Day
Pausing, Bea absentmindedly picked out the wooden splinters from the door as she continued, "It's Stella's final day. Just let her leave us happy, okay?"

I floated in front of her and found her wiping her moist eyes so quickly that it was like she was afraid to get caught.

"After that, I'll cook your favorite grilled steak, okay? A whole plate, all yours…"

She trailed off, her voice no more than a murmur. "I'll get you new dresses with bows—you've always wanted those right? And I'll take you to the amusement park, to ride the carousel and the other rides… You've always complained that your friends have been there but not you, right?"

Her tears finally fell at that point, staining the old tiles of the hallway.

"You can have anything you want, so just don't make a mess today, okay?"

I reached out to wipe her tears but couldn't.

As for Bea, she waited for a while, but hearing nothing but her silence, her misery faded and was replaced by rage.

She stood up so quickly she wobbled a little but snapped through her tears, "You're such a brat! You can't even understand your own parents once! We raised you for nothing!"

With that, she turned and hurried away.

-

Soon, it was evening, and the skies were dark.

Bea stepped out of the kitchen with a small basket with a red cloth, confetti, and scissors, ready to prepare decorations to celebrate Stella's birthday.

Still, she had just reached the living room when the doorbell rang.

It was my paternal grandmother, Wanda Smith.

She was carrying a bulging cloth sack, forcing a smile when she saw Bea.

Surprised, Bea moved to the side to let her in while asking, "Mom? What brings you here?"

"To see… Stella," Wanda replied, her voice cracking.

She opened the sack, taking out apples and some cakes. "It's her birthday tomorrow… So I came."

"She's sleeping in her room," Bea replied, taking everything off Wanda's hand. "Just sit here. I'll get her."

"No, let her sleep," Wanda said, shaking her head as she sat on the couch. She then looked around and suddenly frowned. "Where's Tina? I don't see her anywhere?"

Bea's face dropped, and she avoided Wanda's stare as she tried to look busy with her red cloth. "She's… in her room completing her homework."

Wanda stared at her in silence, eventually pressing, "Homework? I'll go see her."

"Mom!" Bea sprang to her feet. "She was… throwing a tantrum! I locked her up in the storeroom so she would reflect on herself."

Wanda paused, and she turned as she snarled every word, "What did you say?! You locked Tina up?!"

"But she's supposed to know… Tomorrow, Stella is going to…"

As Bea trailed off, Wanda glowered and stood up, stumbling for a moment as she moved too quickly.

Bea reached out to catch her, but she shoved her away.

"Bea Chandler!" she roared so loudly her voice shook. "Tina is your daughter too!"

Bea was ready to argue, but Wanda cut her short. "Oh, I get it—Stella is born with that stupid death timer, and you all feel for her! That's why you want to give her the best of everything so that she will die happy!"

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    I nodded, and Wanda sighed.She reached out, wanting to pat my head, but paused and withdrew her hand."I know…" she said very softly. "I know."She turned, then took an apple from the shelf, washed it, and put it in front of the urn."You can eat this," she said as if really talking to me. "I don't have anything good here, but this apple is sweet. Try it."My heart swelled with pain as I stared at the beet-red apple.Any apple back home would be cut into two slices—a bigger slice and a smaller slice.Naturally, the bigger slice would always go to Stella, while the other would go to me.Still, Stella would always sneak more to me, saying that she wasn't hungry and didn't like apples.Now that I was dead, Wanda gave me a full apple.I floated in front of the apple, crouching in front of it. I couldn't eat it, but I could still breathe in its sweet scent."Is it good?" she asked.I nodded emphatically."Oh, that's good… That's good," she said, smiling.She then turned, th

  • The Death Timer   Chapter 10

    Wanda laughed icily and bitterly. "Make things right? How, when Tina's dead? Let me give it to you straight—I won't give you her ashes, because none of you has the right!""Mom!!!" Gio cried, still on his knees. "Please leave Tina with us! We now know that we've made a mistake! From now on, we will definitely…""'From now on?" Wanda snapped, cutting him short, her voice cracking. "There's no such thing. Tina died by your hands—the both of you. Neither of you would ever make up for it."With those words, she turned to leave with the urn."Mom!" "Please, stop!"Gio and Bea tried to stop Wanda again, but she pushed them away and bellowed, beady eyed, "Get away from me! Don't touch my granddaughter! You have no right!"And with that, she left with the urn, walking through the drizzle.Her shoulders were slumped, but she never looked back.Gio and Bea could only collapse limply on the ground and keep crying their eyes out.Stella was standing under the awning, watching as our par

  • The Death Timer   Chapter 9

    Wanda simply sidestepped Bea, watching her with eyes as cold as ice. "How long are you going to keep deceiving yourself? You locked up Tina yourself the whole night, and now, she's dead."Bea could only collapse on the floor, burying her face in her palms as she bawled hysterically. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… Mommy made a mistake, Tina! Please, come back…"Thud, thud.Gio was on all fours too, and he was hitting his head repeatedly on the floor audibly."Dad, please…" Stella was sobbing as she tried to pull him to his feet.However, he pushed her away. "It's my fault… It's all my fault."Wanda watched them as they raved and wailed, and closed her eyes.Her eyes once again calm when she opened them, she carried me to the door, saying, "I'm taking Tina to the crematory.""Mom!"Gio suddenly lunged at me and grabbed her leg. "Don't take Tina away from us… Please!!!"Wanda looked down at her son's tear-filled face, and then calmly said, "Let go of me.""Mom—""I said let go!"

  • The Death Timer   Chapter 8

    Wanda said quietly, "Let go, Gio. Let Tina lie down."Gio's hands were shaking, but he didn't let go."Mom…" he sniffed, his voice choking with tears. "Tina's not dead. She's just—""No, she's dead," Wanda said, cutting her short. "She died from a fever after you locked her up the whole night."Gio shuddered as if he was stabbed and was left shaking his head, his tears streaming. "N-No… I just wanted her to keep quiet… So she won't bother Stella… I really didn't know… She was sick…""You know," Wanda said, endlessly disappointed. "She yelled that her head hurt and that she had a fever. You heard her—Bea heard her too, but neither of you believed her."Bea suddenly rushed out of the room, collapsing by Wanda's feet as she grabbed her leg."I'm so sorry!" she cried and yelled. "Just hit me… Yell at me… I killed Tina! It's all my fault!"Wanda looked downward at her bawling daughter-in-law, her devastated son, and her other granddaughter who stayed curled up.Suddenly, she looked

  • The Death Timer   Chapter 7

    Suddenly, Gio froze for a long while before collapsing to the floor, and he started to bawl like a child."She's gone!!!" he wailed, his voice so hoarse that it was unintelligible. "Tina's gone! Our Tina's gone!!!"Stella was still standing by the door, her whole body shaking as she leaned against the doorframe.She watched as her parents cried themselves hoarse, and then looked at the small cold body lying in a corner."Tina…" she murmured, her lips trembling.Then, her vision turned dark, and she collapsed limply."Stella!" Bea shrieked as she rushed over, managing to catch Stella before she fell.And with that, the entire house erupted in chaos.-It was already noon when Stella woke up. Bea was sitting by her bed, her eyes swollen red as she held her hand, breathing repeatedly, "Oh, you're alright, Stella… That's what matters…"Stella was staring at the ceiling for a long time and asked quietly, "Where's Tina?"Bea's tears were gushing again, falling all over Stella's

  • The Death Timer   Chapter 6

    Bemused, Bea released Stella as she blurted, "What do you mean, no?"When she tried to enter the storeroom, Gio suddenly reached out, stopping her."Just wait…" he said very softly, as if worried that he'd wake someone up.His back was against the light so I couldn't see his face, only his trembling shoulders.He stood still at the doorway, staring at the tiny body laying motionless in a corner.Stella craned her necks over Bea's back, her cheeks turning paler in the morning light."Tina?" Stella called out softly, her voice tentative but hopeful. "Do you hear me? I'm alright! I'm not going to die!"But I lay in the corner, motionless and not breathing.Bea's face stiffened, and Gio didn't stop her this time as she rushed inside, crouching beside me."Tina?" she reached out, rocking my shoulder.I swayed with her motion but otherwise remained limp.My eyes were closed, with my face facing the ceiling while my lips stayed purple."Tina?" Bea called out again—louder this time

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