Chapter 4

In the deep of the night, the lights in the house started getting switched off, and the door to the master bedroom was shut.

I floated to the gap in the door and looked in.

Hailey was sleeping in between Dad and Mom, snugly wrapped up in the comforter in the air-conditioned room.

She was still grabbing onto that red balloon.

I floated back to the dining room and sat on my back.

It was so cold. The body on the floor had turned completely icy, and the joints were starting to turn stiff.

I sat there, accompanying myself.

At three in the morning, Mom stepped out for some water.

She was in her nightgown as she groggily made her way to the dining room to pour herself some water.

Under the moonlight, my kneeling silhouette resembled a monster.

Mom paused midway while drinking her water.

She stared at me for a while, doubt flashing across her eyes.

She put her glass down and took a step forward.

"Helen?"

She called out my name softly and tentatively.

I floated in front of her and yelled in her face, "Mom, I'm dead. Take a look at me!"

Mom couldn't hear me. She tightened her grip over her nightgown and shivered.

"Crazy," she berated me. "Who are you trying to scare in the middle of the night?"

She turned back to her room and shut the door tight.

All my hopes were dashed at that moment.

At six in the morning, Mom was the first to wake up.

She put on her apron and walked into the kitchen, humming a song.

When she walked past the dining room, she completely ignored me, still kneeling on the ground.

The aroma of fried eggs and the sweet fragrance of warm milk drifted from the kitchen.

Hailey was awake as well, and she walked out of the bedroom in a rabbit nightgown, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

"Mommy, I want some sweet milk."

"Sure, I'll get you some."

Hailey walked past the dining room and spotted me.

She ran over and wrapped her arms around my neck from behind.

"Helen, wake up."

"I want to ride horsie. Wake up and be my horsie!"

She shook my body hard.

In the past, I would compliantly go on all fours and let her climb on my back.

Even though my knees would hurt as they hit the ground, I had to neigh gleefully like a horse.

Mom said that was what an elder sister should do.

But today, I didn't move.

Hailey was starting to get upset. She released her hold over me and shoved me hard.

"Are you getting up or not? Get up right now, or I'll have Mommy spank you!"

Her hard shove finally tipped the balance.

My stiffened body fell to one side, still in that same kneeling position.

Bam!

The sound my body made when it fell was so loud that it was louder than when I hit the corner of the table.

I collapsed on the ground, my arms and legs still twisted in that kneeling posture.

My face, which was pale and turning green, was finally exposed to them.

My eyes were half closed, and my pupils were dilated as I stared at the ceiling. There was even dried-up sauce at the corner of my lips.

That was the final trace of that meatball I had eaten.

Hailey was scared out of her wits, but she tried to pull my hand.

"Ahh!"

She retracted her hand and shrieked.

"Mommy! Mommy!"

"Helen has become an ice block! She feels so cold!"

Mom's hand shook as she was frying the eggs, and the spatula fell onto the floor.

She rushed out. "What's the matter? Why are you yelling so early in the morning?"

She then saw me lying on the ground in that strange posture.

"Helen?" she cried out in a trembling voice.

"Stop playing dead. The floor's cold.

"Quick, get up. I'll fry some eggs for you."

This was the first time she offered to fry me an egg.

It was a pity it came too late.

Mom walked over, crouched down, and reached out to push my shoulder.

My skin felt cold to the touch.